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diff --git a/22407-8.txt b/22407-8.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..946091c --- /dev/null +++ b/22407-8.txt @@ -0,0 +1,5434 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Piang the Moro Jungle Boy, by +Florence Partello Stuart + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: The Adventures of Piang the Moro Jungle Boy + A Book for Young and Old + +Author: Florence Partello Stuart + +Release Date: August 26, 2007 [EBook #22407] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES OF PIANG *** + + + + +Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ from scans made +available by Google Books. + + + + + + + + + + +The Adventures of Piang +The Moro Jungle Boy + +A Book for Young and Old + + +By Florence Partello Stuart + +Illustrated By Ellsworth Young + + +New York +The Century Co. +1917 + + + + + + + + +Copyright, 1917, by The Century Co. + +Copyright, 1916, by David C. Cook Publishing Company Copyright, 1917, +Boys' Life The Boy Scouts Magazine + +Published September, 1917 + + + + + + +To "Buddy" + + + + +CONTENTS + + + I The Charm Boy 6 + II The Floating Island 32 + III The Hermit of Ganassi Peak 51 + IV The Fire Tree 78 + V Riding the Cataract 108 + VI The Jungle Menace 129 + VII The Secret of the Source 157 + VIII The Juramentado Gunboat 193 + IX The Bichara 223 + X Piang's Triumph 251 + + + + + + + +LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS + + + + + Slowly he swam downward, conscious of a large body moving near + him _Frontispiece_ + Rising to his feet, spear poised, he waited 17 + His hands closed over something 36 + On its neck it supported a weird creature 70 + "The boom! We must cut it!" 87 + With hands outstretched above his head, he waited for the great + moment 122 + Piang reached up on tiptoe to pluck a ripe mango 139 + Gracefully the little slave-girl eluded Piang and Sicto 149 + Over and over they rolled, splashing and fighting 167 + A shrill whistle echoed through the forest 210 + "Juramentado! Gobernado!" faintly whispered Piang 227 + The water spout caught the eggshell praus in its toils 261 + + + + + + + + + + "Do you know the fragrant stillness of the orchid + scented glade, + Where the blazoned, bird-winged butterflies + flap through?" + + + + + + +THE ADVENTURES OF PIANG +THE MORO JUNGLE BOY + + +Piang is a real boy. Dato Kali Pandapatan is a real Moro chief. The +Moro is not a Filipino. + +When I returned from my life among the natives of the lower +Philippines, I was appalled to find that America was not only ignorant +of, but entirely indifferent to our colonies across the seas. The +general impression seemed to be that Manila was a delightful Spanish +city, and that Manila was the Philippines. That there are several +thousand little islands in the Philippine group, each harboring its +distinct tribe, each with its own dialect and religion, was entirely +unknown. Impressed by the nobility of the Moro in contrast to the +other tribes of the archipelago, by his unfortunate treatment and his +possibilities for development, I found myself taking up his cause, +and was repaid by intense interest wherever I launched forth on my +pet subject. I was so successful that gradually I began to idealize +the Moro, weaving around him, not the "might have beens," but the +"might be's." Hence, "The Adventures of Piang." + +Many of our military heros of other days share the honors with Piang; +their exploits and privations are a romance in themselves, and among +these pages the army and navy will recognize stories that have long +since become history. I am indebted to Dean Worcester for statistics +and a great deal of information on the origin and development of the +Moro. Indeed some of Piang's adventures are actual incidents of Dean +Worcester's travels. Robinson and Foreman have given me much material, +and I find their books authentic and true chronicles of the Malay +people. But most of all I am indebted to that great and wise man, +Colonel John P. Finley, United States Army, who during his term as +civil governor of the Moro provinces, did more to help a down-trodden +people than any Christian who has ever attempted to bring them to +the true light. + +Anticipating carping criticisms from geographic purists, the author +is ready to admit taking liberties with longitudes and latitudes, +juggling lakes and mountains to the envy of Atlas, in order to serve +the picturesque and romantic purposes of Piang. + +Some of the stories in this volume appeared in the juvenile magazines, +"St. Nicholas," "What To Do," and "Boys' World," and are reprinted +through the courtesy of the editors. + + + + +FIRST ADVENTURE + +THE CHARM BOY + + +In the warm Celebes Sea, four hundred miles south of Manila, lies the +romantic, semi-mysterious island of Mindanao, home of the Moro. For +three centuries Spain struggled to subjugate this fierce people, +with little or no success, and she turned them over to America with +a sigh of relief. Perpetual warfare is the pastime of the Moro; it +is his sport, his vocation; and the Mother Jungle hurls a livelihood +at his feet. Food, clothing, shelter are his birthright. + +One of the most powerful tribes of Moroland is ruled by Dato (chief) +Kali Pandapatan. Far up in the hills dwells this powerful clan, +arrogant and superior in its power. Piang, the chosen of Allah, +dwells among them; haughtily the boy accepts their homage as his due, +for he is destined to become their ruler some day. His prowess and +bravery are the boast of his people, and the name of Piang is known +from one end of Mindanao to the other. + +The tribe was assembled for the ceremony. Within the hollow square +stood Dato (chief) Kali Pandapatan and old Pandita (priest) Asin. There +was a rustle of expectancy among the onlookers; their interest was +divided between the two solitary figures, silently waiting, and a +hut, much bedecked with gaudy trappings and greens. On all sides the +silent jungle closed in around the brilliant throng, seeming to bear +witness against mankind; men might force a tiny clearing in its very +heart after years of struggle and work, but the virgin forest sang on, +undisturbed, watchful. + +The grass flaps, forming the door of the hut, moved. Like a soft wind +caressing the palm-trees, a murmur rustled through the crowd: + +"It is he!" + +Children scrambled away from restraining parents to get a better view; +dogs, filled with uneasiness by this strange silence, whined. The +stillness was unnatural. Distant cries of a mina-bird floated to this +strained audience; the river, muttering its plaints to the listening +rushes, sounded like a cataract in their ears. + +Into the midst of this crowd walked a stately, graceful youth. The +dusky goldenness of his skin was enhanced by his rainbow-hued +garments. From waist to ankle he was encased in breeches as tight as +any gymnast's pantaloons; they were striped in greens and scarlets +and had small gold filigree buttons down the sides. A tight jacket, +buttoned to the throat, was fastened with another row of buttons, +and around his waist was gracefully tied a crimson sash, the fringed +ends heavy with glass beads and seed-pearls. A campilan (two-handled +knife, double-edged), and a pearl-handled creese (dagger) were thrust +into the sash. With arrogant tread he advanced, the ranks dividing +like a wave before an aggressive war-prau. His piercing black eyes +expressed utter indifference, and he ignored those gathered to witness +his triumph. Only once he seemed to smile when the little slave girl, +Papita, timidly touched his arm. The rebuke that fell upon her from the +others, brought a frown to the boy's face, but he continued to advance +until he stood beside Dato Kali Pandapatan and Pandita Asin. Here, +like a sentinel giant, bereft of his nearest kin, one monster tree +remained standing. It seemed to whisper to its distant mates, who +nodded answer from their ranks at the edge of the clearing. Under +this tree Piang paused, gazing fixedly at his beloved chief. + +"Piang," said Kali, "the time has come for you to prove that you are +the chosen of Allah." + +A perceptible rustle followed this. + +"On the night of your birth, the panditas announced that the charm +boy, who was to lead the tribe to victory, would be born before +the stars dimmed. Your cry came first, but there was another, also, +fated to come to us that night. The mestizo (half-breed) boy, Sicto, +opened his eyes before that same dawn, and you are destined to prove +which is the chosen Allah." Anxiously the Moro men and women gazed +at their idol, Piang. His manly little head was held high, and the +powerful shoulders squared as he listened. + +The sun, but lately risen, bathed the multitude in its early light +and chased the light filigree of moisture from the foliage. Through +the branches of the solitary tree, wavy sunbeams made their way to +flicker and play around Piang, and one bold dart seemed to hesitate +and caress the mass of glossy, black hair. + +"Sicto!" called Kali. There was another murmur, but very different +from the one that had preceded Piang's coming. From the same hut +came forth another boy. A little taller than Piang, was Sicto, lean +and lank of limb. His skin was a dirty cream color, more like that +of the Mongolian than the warm tinted Mohammedan. His costume was +much like Piang's, but it was not carried with the royal dignity of +the other boy's. Sicto's head was held a little down; the murky eyes +avoided meeting those of his tribesmen, and his whole attitude gave +the impression of slinking. The high cheek-bones and slightly tilted +eyes bore evidence of the Chinese blood that flowed in his veins, +and the tribe shuddered at the thought of Sicto as charm boy. He +advanced with a shambling gait. + +"Sicto, it is given that you shall have your chance." Kali Pandapatan +spoke loudly, a frown on his brow. "Piang is of our own blood, and +we, one and all, wish him to be our charm boy, but there shall be no +injustice done. Born under the same star, within the same hour, it is +not for me to decide whether you or Piang is the Heaven-sent." Turning +to the pandita, Kali whispered something. The old man nodded and +advanced a few steps, saying: + +"My people, I shall leave it to you, whether or not I have made a wise +decision. There is no way for us to prove the claim of either of these +boys, so I am sending them to seek the answer for themselves." Asin +paused, and the crowd moved. "On yonder mountain dwells the wise +hermit, Ganassi. He has lived there for many years, apart from man, +alone in the jungle with beast and reptile. + +There are no trails to his haunt; no man has seen Ganassi for a +generation, but that he still lives we know, for he answers our signal +fires each year and replies to our questions." Turning to the two boys, +he addressed them directly: "The mountain where he dwells has been +named after him, Ganassi Peak, and friends through the hills will +direct you toward it. You shall both start at the same time, but by +different routes. One leads through the jungle, over the hills; the +other follows the river to its head-water, the lake. Old Ganassi will +guide the real charm boy to him; he is great; he is ubiquitous. Have +no fear of the jungle or its creatures, for he will be with you." + +Amazement and joy were written on Piang's face. He was to penetrate +the jungle at last, alone! His heart thrilled at the thought of the +adventures waiting for him there, and with radiant face he turned +toward the inviting forest. + +"Piang! Piang!" resounded through the stillness, as the excited Moros +watched him. + +Sicto stood, head down, wriggling his toes in the sand. He did not +like the idea of the lonely jungle, or the thought of the long hard +days between him and Ganassi Peak, but he did not speak. + +With solemn ceremony the pandita prepared to anoint the boys according +to the rites of the tribe. A slave boy ran lightly forward and sank +on his knees before the pandita. On his head he bore a basket covered +with cool, green leaves. Praying and chanting, the priest uncovered +the basket, revealing two beautiful dazzlingly white flowers. + +"The champakas!" cried Papita in amazement as the rare flowers +were exposed. An admonishing hand was placed over her lips. Slowly +Asin raised the flowers, heavy with dew, above the two boys, and the +clear, crystal drops fell upon their heads. Across the sky trailed a +flock of white rice-birds; as they flitted across the clearing, their +shadows leaped from one picturesque Moro to another; a twig snapped, +startling a baby, who cried out. The spell was broken. + +The chant was taken up by the entire tribe, and slowly at first, they +began to revolve around the central figures. As their excitement +grew, the pace quickened, until they were whirling and gyrating +at a reckless rate. Like a pistol-shot came the command to cease, +and quietly all returned to their original places. Kali Pandapatan +raised his hand for silence. + +"I shall throw my creese into the air. Sicto, you may have first +choice. Do you choose the point, or the flat fall?" + +Sicto considered: + +"If the creese falls without sticking into the ground, I shall choose +my route first." + +The crowd instinctively pushed a little closer as Kali tossed the +shining blade into the air. A gasp, forced from between some anxious +lip, broke the stillness. Every eye followed the course described by +the knife, and when it fell, clean as an arrow, the blade piercing +the earth, there was a sigh of relief. Piang was to have first choice. + +"Piang, it is given that you shall choose. Will you proceed by the +river or take your chances with the jungle? One route is as safe as +another, and only the real charm boy can reach Ganassi." + +"I will go by the river," Piang answered quietly, with great dignity. + + + +It was a beautiful day. To us, the heat would have been stifling, +the humidity distressing, but Piang loved it all and joyfully looked +forward to the trip up the river. + +The trying ceremony over, the two candidates had hurried off to prepare +for the long journey. Cumbersome garments were discarded, and Piang +was clothed in the easy costume of the jungle traveler; breech-clout, +head-cloth, a sarong, flung carelessly over one shoulder, and a +_pañuelo_ (handkerchief) with a few necessary articles tied securely +in it. His weapons were a bolo, a creese, and a bow and arrow. Piang's +bare limbs, bronze and powerful, glistened in the brilliant sunshine, +and he was very picturesque as he paddled along the stream, dipping +his slim hands into the current, arresting objects that floated by. He +had made his _banco_ (canoe) himself; had even felled the palma brava +alone, and had spent days burning and chopping the center away, until +at last he was the proud possessor of one of the swiftest canoes on +the river. As on ice-boats, long outriggers of slender poles extended +across the banco, and the ends were joined by other bamboo poles, so +that the canoe looked like a giant dragon-fly as it skimmed lightly +over the water. + +Piang stopped at a lily-pad to gather some of the inviting blossoms, +but regretted it instantly, as a swarm of mosquitos rose and enveloped +him. He thought to escape their vicious attacks by paddling faster, +but it was no use; they had come to stay. Trailing after him a long +uneven stream, they seemed to take turns in tormenting him, and as the +leaders became satiated, they fell back, allowing the rear rankers to +buzz forward and renew the attack. Piang longed for a certain kind +of moss that grows at the roots of trees, but his keen eyes could +not discover any. + +It was almost all he could do, to paddle his banco and fight the pests; +his sarong was wrapped tightly around him, but it was no protection +against the savage mosquitos, and he was about to drop in the water +despite the crocodiles, when he spied some of the moss. With a cry +of relief, he headed toward the bank and managed to pull some into +the boat. Taking from his bundle a queerly shaped, wooden object, +he spun it like a top, rapidly, backward and forward in a pan until +smoke appeared at the point of the rod. Powdering some bark, he threw +it into the pan, and when it began to blaze, he added some of the +damp moss. Gradually a thick, pungent smoke arose. It curled upward, +enveloping him and almost choking him with its overwhelming aroma, +but it dispelled the mosquitos immediately, and Piang continued his +journey unmolested. + +He was very happy that morning, for was he not free, honored by his +tribe, and engaged in the dearest of pastimes, adventure? The poor +little girls have no choice in their occupations, for as soon as they +are large enough, their tasks are allotted to them; they must sit all +day and weave, or wear out their little backs pounding rice in the big +wooden bowls. But the man child is free. The jungle is his task. He +must learn to trap game, to find where the fruits abound, and to avoid +the many dangers that wait for him. Piang broke into a native chant: + +"Ee-ung pee-ang, unk ah-wang!" As it resounded through the forest in +his high-pitched, nasal tones, he was answered from the trees, and +little, gray monkeys came swinging along to see who their visitor might +be. Piang mischievously tossed a piece of the smoking moss to the bank +and paused to see the fun. Their almost human coughs, as the smoke +was wafted their way, made him laugh. They scampered down, tumbling +over each other in their anxiety to be first, and one little fellow, +who succeeded in out-distancing the others, stuck its hand into the +smoldering embers. Astonished, at first, it nursed the injured member, +but gradually becoming infuriated, it finally shrieked and jumped up +and down. It began to pelt the smudge madly with stones, chattering +excitedly to its companions, as if describing the tragedy. The others +had climbed back into the trees, paying no attention to Piang, but +keeping a watchful eye on the danger that had been hurled among them. + +Piang lazily plied his paddle, laughing to himself at the foolishness +of monkeys. He tried to peer through the dense trees that crowded +toward the river, hiding the secrets of the jungle. He wanted to know +those secrets, wanted to match his strength against the numberless +dangers that are always veiled by that twilight, which the sun strives +in vain to penetrate, year after year, turning away discouraged. Piang +listlessly examined the river, little knowing the perilous adventure +that waited for him just beyond the bend. + +One lone log, majestic in its solitude, floated down the river, +resisting the efforts of tenacious creepers to bind and hold it +prisoner. Piang poked it with his paddle. Another was floating in +its wake, and he idly tapped this, also. It stirred, turned over, +and disappeared under the boat. + +"_Boia!_" ("Crocodile!") breathed the startled boy. He had disturbed +one of the sleeping monsters! Piang's heart beat very fast, and a +shudder passed through him as he felt something bump the bottom of +the boat. The crocodile was just beneath him and if it rose suddenly, +it would upset him. One, two, three seconds he waited, but they were +the longest seconds Piang had ever known. There was a slight movement +astern; the boat tipped forward, swerved, and before Piang could right +himself, a vicious snort startled him. The crocodile was lashing the +water with its tail, and the light shell was pitching and rolling +dangerously. Piang scrambled to his knees. + +There are only two vulnerable spots on a full-grown crocodile; +under the left fore leg, where the heart can be pierced, and the +jugular vein, easily reached through the opened jaws. Piang, in +the bow of the boat, paused, arm raised, waiting for a favorable +opportunity. The canoe was being swept backward, stern first, and +the crocodile swam close, nosing it, making it careen perilously. Any +moment the merciless jaws might close over the brittle wood, crushing +it to splinters. The small, bleary eyes seemed to devour Piang as +they tortured him with suspense, but he patiently waited for his +chance, knowing that he would only have one. The banco gave a jerk +as it bumped into an obstruction, and the impact forced it outward +a few feet. The moment had come. As the crocodile plunged forward, +Piang thrust his spear into its breast. There was a gurgling sound, +a swishing of the water, and the Ugly thing rolled over on its back. + +Piang never could remember just how he escaped. From every sheltered +cove, from behind innocent-looking snags, appeared the heads of hungry +crocodiles, awakened by the fight. Luckily they were attracted by the +blood of Piang's victim, and he skilfully avoided the clumsy animals +as they rushed after the fast disappearing meal. One powerful monster +succeeded in dragging the body into the rushes, and the noise of the +dispute, as they fought over their unfortunate mate, nauseated the +boy. His arms were tired and stiff and his head was reeling, but he +bravely worked at the paddle until he reached a bend of the river. It +had been a narrow escape, and Piang had learned a lesson. Never again +would he idly thump logs in a stream! + +The boat suddenly came to a standstill. It was turning as if on +a pivot. It had been caught in one of the numerous eddies at the +mouth of a small tributary stream. Vigorously he strove to gain +the channel. He hugged the bank, hoping to free himself from the +whirlpool, but his outrigger became entangled in some weeds, and +the boat slowly began to tip. Frantically he reached toward the +tall nipa-palms, nodding over his head, but their flimsy stalks gave +easily, and he was almost thrown out of the boat. The sparkling water, +as if laughing at his predicament, caressed the helpless craft, +drawing it closer and closer to its bosom. The banco gave a lurch; +it was tipping; it shipped a quantity of water. All Piang's weight +thrown against the upturned outrigger had no effect. Helplessly, +he looked into the green, whirling depths. + +There was only one thing to be done. Taking a long breath, he grabbed +his creese and dived. Down, down; the current pulled and tugged at +him; the rush of sand and mud blinded him, and he was almost swept out +into the river. But he managed to catch hold of the roots that were +twined about the boat and finally cut the banco free. With a bound it +started down the river. The empty shell, at the mercy of the waves, +danced and frolicked like a crazy thing, and Piang was almost stunned +by a blow from the outrigger as it passed him. + +The boat was rushing right back into the midst of the crocodiles, +but he bravely struck out after it. There was no chance for him if he +failed to reach it. The whispering rushes and feathery palms at the +water's edge hid evil-smelling mud, festering with fever, the home +of reptiles and crocodiles. Desperately the boy strove to overtake +the boat, and just as he was giving up hope, a friendly snag tempted +the runaway to pause, and Piang's strong, young hand closed over the +outrigger. Then began the task of climbing back. A sudden movement +might release the banco, and it would continue its mad flight, which he +would be powerless to stop. Keeping his eye on the frail-looking snag, +he threw himself on his back in the water and worked his way along the +outrigger as he would climb a tree. Finally his hand touched the body +of the boat, and, cautiously turning over, he sat straddling the bamboo +frame. It was all he could do to keep from jumping into the boat, +but he restrained his impatience and started worming over the side. + +Half-way in his heart gave a leap! He could hear the swish-swish of +the water on the other side of the banco as something made its way +toward him. The eddy was the only thing that saved him, for he could +see the dread thing twirling round and round as it tried to reach +him. The boy was almost paralyzed with fear. As long as the crocodile +was on the other side of the boat, he was safe, but now--the snag +creaked, stirred. + +Piang made one heroic effort, lifted himself clear of the water, +and fell exhausted into the boat. He was not a moment too soon. The +crunching sound, as the support began to give under the strain, was a +fit accompaniment to the snarling and snapping of the crocodile, which, +deprived of its prey, was lashing the water, trying to reach the frail +outriggers. Piang thought he had never been swept through the water +so rapidly, and that he would never gain control of his boat. Louder +and clearer came the sounds of the fighting monsters beyond the bend, +and there between him and safety lurked his latest enemy. + +An impertinent, ridiculous twitter came from a tiny scarlet-crowned +songster, as if it were trying to advise and direct the hard-pressed +boy. Its solemn, round eyes stared at him, reproving and admonishing +him for his foolhardiness. Piang, on his knees, struggling with the +current, was unaware of his audience. Gradually he worked the boat +around and headed up-stream, straight for the crocodile. Surprised by +this sudden change in tactics, it snorted and opened its repulsive +jaws. Piang had hoped to catch it in this position, so, pressing +forward as rapidly as possible, he took careful aim and hurled his +knife into its mouth. Rising to his feet, spear poised, he waited +to see if the knife would be effective. The creature floundered and +slashed the water, gave a blood-curdling bellow, and rolled over on +its back, dead. A crocodile fights with its last breath to remain on +its belly, for if not dead, it drowns as soon as it turns over. + +Piang wanted his weapon. The body of the animal was caught by the +current and shot rapidly past him down-stream, but the boy, warned +by the commotion further down, hesitated to follow it. He realized, +however, that his knife was very valuable to him, and that he was +sure to have urgent need of it again, so he started after the ugly +body. The sparkling wavelets sported and capered with their grewsome +burden, sometimes dashing it against some stray log, again bearing it +far across the river as if purposely assisting it to elude its pursuer. + +Piang skilfully guided his banco in its wake, and finally succeeded in +thrusting his spear into its side, and pulled it toward the bank. The +knife was embedded far down in the terrible jaws, and Piang wondered +if he dared reach into them. He looked at the tusk-like teeth, the +first he had ever seen at close quarters, but he remembered with a +shudder the wounds that he had helped care for--wounds made by such +poisonous tusks. + +Mustering his courage, he slowly extended his hand into its mouth. The +big, wet tongue flopped against his hand; the powerful jaws quivered +spasmodically, and the hot, fetid steam from the throat sickened +him. His knife! He must get it! Desperately he tugged at the handle; +it would not loosen its hold. Cold sweat broke out all over Piang. A +new sound arrested him. The crocodiles below had already smelled the +blood of the second victim and were plunging up-stream to find it. The +boy thought the knife would never come out. He worked and twisted, +and finally it gave so suddenly, that he lost his balance, and by a +quick turn of his body just saved himself from another ducking. It +was lucky for Piang that he finished when he did, for around the +curve in the river, headed directly toward him, came the crowding, +vicious scavengers. + +Gathering his wits quickly, he pushed forward. The snorting and +fighting grew more and more distant; the peaceful river stretched +out before him like a silver road beckoning him to safety, and he +offered a prayer of thanksgiving to Allah, the Merciful, that he had +been spared that awful death. + + + +It was nearly evening when Piang beached his banco and took up the +trail to the village where he was to spend his first night. Confidently +he trotted through the jungle, picking his way easily among the +gathering shadows. Soon voices became distinguishable, and he heard +tom-toms beating the evening serenade. Dogs howled in response, +women chattered, boys quarreled. To Piang this represented the usual +day's peaceful ending. + +As he trotted into the clearing and paused before the hut of the dato, +the curious crowded around him: mothers to see if the stranger's +muscles could compare with their lads'; girls to flaunt their charms; +boys to measure him with their eyes. Piang had no interest in anything +but the boys, and as soon as the dato condescended to greet him with +the customary salutation for guests, he was left in peace to join +them at their interrupted game of pelota. + +Twilight comes quickly in the tropics. When darkness had fallen, +each family was squatting beside its rice pot, and as the night +silence deepened, the village slept. Piang had asked for no shelter, +and no invitation had been extended, but he silently accepted the +hospitality, according to the strange Moro codes. + +Slumber claimed the inhabitants of the barrio, but all around the +jungle woke to the night. Noxious blooms raised their heads to drink +in the deadly moisture; hungry pythons took up their silent vigil +at water holes; night prowlers slunk in the gloom to spring on the +more defenseless creatures, and over it all the inscrutable jungle +kept watch, passing silent judgment on man and beast, in this great +scheme of life. + + + + +SECOND ADVENTURE + +THE FLOATING ISLAND + + +Like a mirror framed in soft velvet green, the lake broke upon +Piang. In the still noon heat the motionless water scintillated +and sparkled and the powerful rays of the sun seemed to penetrate +to the very bottom. Dragon-flies and spiders skated merrily about, +eluding the ever-watchful fishes lying in wait amid forests of lacy +seaweeds and coral. Tall, stately palms, towering above their mates, +scorned to seek their reflections in the clear depths, but frivolous +bamboo and nipa-palms swayed gently out over the water, rustling and +chattering with delight at their mirrored images. + +Piang slipped through the mouth of the creek and gazed in amazement at +the vast sheet of water. Stories of the lake and its wonderful floating +islands had lured him from the more direct route to Ganassi Peak, and +he eagerly searched for one of the curiosities. His eyes focused on a +dot of green far in the distance. It was moving, turning, and suddenly +a whole fleet of dancing, playful islands became distinct. Joyfully +Piang started in pursuit. He wanted to see one, to touch it. Swiftly +he flew through the water. As if detecting his purpose, the nomad +islands eluded him. As soon as he chose one to pursue, it flaunted +its charms the more and capered and dodged behind its fellows. Like a +giant may-pole, the largest island held several smaller ones in leash, +permitting them to revolve around it, interlacing vines and creepers +that were rooted on the mother isle. Monkeys and jungle creatures +crept fearlessly along these natural ropes, sporting from one island +to another. Hablar-birds and aigrets squabbled over bits of rice +and wild fruits. Piang caught sight of a civet-cat crouching in a +tree on one island. It had probably gone to sleep in that tree while +the island was nosing the mainland and had awakened to find itself +adrift. Sometimes these floating islands would be held to the shore +for years, intertwining liana (climbing plants of tropical forests) +and _bajuca_ (jungle rope), but sooner or later some wild storm is +sure to set them wandering again. + +There were weird tales of early Dyak settlers. These Borneo pirates had +fled to Mindanao to escape justice, bringing many cruel and terrible +customs that were to take root and bear fruit among the tribes of the +sultan. A favorite pastime of the Dyaks had been to bind captives to +a stray island and lead it slowly and tantalizingly to the mammoth +waterfalls, shouting and dancing with glee as it plunged into the +abyss. + +The lake was like a fairy-land. Purple lotus flowers surrounded the +boat. Piang dipped his hands into the cool water, and pulled them +up by long slender roots; lily-pads offered their beauties and soon +the banco was a bower of fragrant and brilliant flowers. Playfully +Piang caught at a vine, floating in the wake of an island. The +natural boat led him gently about, twisting and circling back and +forth. He laughed merrily. The islands were too funny! They seemed +almost human in their antics. Some had regular routes, and, like mail +boats touched the same spot again and again, only to be hurried on +as the current caught them. Others with malicious intent strayed in +the path of their more systematic brothers, bumping and jarring them +with obstinate regularity. + +The joy of freedom thrilled Piang; the intimacy with nature and its +mysteries stirred within him a desire to know more, feel more, and +he gazed at the distant peak where his fortune awaited him, wondering +if the old hermit, Ganassi, was in reality watching for his coming. + +Toward afternoon Piang became conscious of a heavy steam-like +vapor rising from the undergrowth at the edge of the jungle; the +atmosphere grew suddenly sticky and sultry. Almost within a moment +the brilliant sunshine was blotted out, and a gray twilight settled +over the lake. Frightened birds, squawking and screaming, hurried by; +a fawn, drinking at the water's edge, darted off through the jungle. A +slight frown rippled across the water; the breeze chilled Piang. Trees +in the distance seemed to bend nearly double with no apparent cause, +but the rush of wind finally swept the whole valley, and the jungle +shuddered and swayed before it. The storm seemed an animate thing, +seemed to come upon the peacefulness of the lake like an evil genius, +hurling its fury upon nature and her creatures. + +Piang had never been alone in a typhoon. In bewilderment he looked +about, wondering where he could find shelter. He watched the birds, +the animals; his boat brought up against something with a thud. An +island had bumped into him, and he realized in dismay what a menace the +pretty toys might become in a typhoon. Struggling with the tempest, +Piang fought past the islands, reached the shore, turned his banco +bottom side up, and crept underneath. + +The violent wind began to dash loose objects about, tearing limbs +off trees and hurling them aloft as if they were mere splinters. A +cocoanut crashed down, striking the ground near Piang; another fell, +and yet another. Then the rain came in torrents. It fell unevenly +as if poured by mighty giants from huge buckets. The ground beneath +Piang was swaying, undulating. A tree crashed to the ground, tearing +away vines and ferns. As he began to experience the motion of a boat, +Piang became thoroughly alarmed and, dashing aside the banco, sprang +to his feet. + +Terror flashed into his heart. What was happening? He had landed on +the mainland and put his banco under a big tree, and now this tree +was pitching and swaying, its branches sweeping the ground. The tree +was being uprooted, and the earth at Piang's feet was plowed up as +roots tore through the surface. The next tree was being felled in the +same manner, and as his eyes darted about, he beheld everywhere the +same terrifying picture. These mighty monuments of time, trees older +than man, were being torn from their beds and thrown to the ground +or left standing against each other for support. It seemed to be +only the trees in Piang's vicinity that were doomed to destruction, +and, although it was a dangerous thing to attempt, Piang decided to +seek another shelter. He took a few difficult steps forward and was +almost stunned by the immense fall of water. It dashed into his face, +beat upon his head in a stinging, hissing mass; it ran in streams +down his arms and legs, making him heavy and clumsy. As he caught at +a tree for support, it groaned under his weight and crashed to earth; +the ground was giving way, and he felt himself sinking. With a scream, +he freed himself, and, jumping to a fallen tree, clung desperately, +hoping to escape flying missiles. Just as he gathered himself for +another advance his heart gave a jump. Through the mad rage of the +typhoon, he could hear quick breathing! The ground tipped and swayed +alarmingly, tossing trees about like masts on a ship in distress. + +"_Linug!_" ("Earthquake!") moaned Piang. Bravely the boy crept forward, +knife in hand. Whatever it was, hiding under that log, Piang must +take his chances; if he remained where he was he would certainly be +killed by falling trees. His feet made a sucking sound; a vivid flash +of lightning blinded him, and it was all he could do to force his +way through the wall of water that was pounding down upon him. With +a desperate effort, he pulled himself along by vines, hoping to pass +the unknown animal before it could leap; but the branches stirred, +and he sprang back with a cry. + +"_Babui!_" ("Wild boar!") he gasped. The creature's head shook +with fury; its teeth were bared, and the tiny red eyes flamed +with anger. The babui had the largest tusks Piang had ever seen, +and he grasped his bolo firmly to meet the rush. One second, two +seconds--the suspense was fearful, and Piang wondered why the boar +did not attack. Strained almost beyond his endurance, he stood, rigid +and cold, waiting. The wind sucked at his breath; the torrents of +water, dashing in his face, kept him blinking and gasping, and still +that wild thing pawed and snorted. Fascinated, Piang gazed into the +vicious, bleary eyes, and finally he realized that they were losing +some of their fury; the tusks sank into the spongy earth; the head +fell lower. The babui was a prisoner, pinioned to the ground by a +fallen tree! Relief was Piang's first sensation, but pity for the +animal and fear for himself, roused him to the realization of new +dangers yet to be faced. He must plunge into the dense jungle; it was +only a short distance now. He glanced back to be sure that the babui +could not free itself; it was swaying and moaning, unable to move. + +As Piang paused to get his directions, the earth gave a tremendous +jerk, which threw him on his face. He lay stunned for a few minutes and +when he rose to his knees, he had the sensation of floating gently, +softly. The jerking and trembling had ceased, and the ground swayed +soothingly. Piang turned toward the jungle, to the spot where he +had been about to step. Could he believe his eyes? Almost numb with +terror, he gazed stupidly into the receding jungle. He was on land, +but he was floating. He was sailing away from the jungle! Piang had +taken refuge on a floating island. + +In despair he gazed about him, trying to penetrate the thickly driving +rain. He was on the very edge of the island and he wondered why he had +not been swept into the lake. The mass of vegetation, wrenched from +its bed, trailed along in the water as the nomad island whirled and +danced on the angry waves. A tree, the branches of which were hanging +in the water, was pulled from its bed, dragging part of the island +with it. One long vine struggled to right itself against the current, +to gain the shelter of the island again. It seemed most lifelike, and +suddenly Piang realized with a shudder that it was alive. A python had +been knocked from the falling tree and was being dragged along. Only +the end of its tail was twined about a log; desperately it strove +to work its way back, and Piang watched with dread. Its struggles +grew weaker and weaker, and finally its head sank below the waves, +and it joined the unresisting creepers that were being dragged along +to destruction. + +Piang leaned wearily against the only tree that remained standing; +the fall of water, tearing down the trunk, cascaded over the jungle +boy, and he raised his hand to shield his eyes. What had saved the +solitary tree, Piang could not imagine, until he discovered a small +diamond-shaped cut in the bark. He drew back with a shudder. Two +crossed arrows were carved within the diamond. This was another Dyak +custom so hateful to the Mohammedan; the tree was the sarcophagus of +some Borneo chief. A century must have passed since the burial, for +the incision was almost obliterated, but Piang knew that the mummy +of his enemy reposed in savage dignity within the heart of the tree, +and that the Dyak belief was that the tree could not fall or decay. He +fought his way to the other side of the island. On it sped. Cries of +frightened animals came faintly from the mainland; screams of birds, +beaten to earth, pierced the din. + +A tremor ran through the island. There was a tearing sound as if +strong timbers were being forced apart; the whole mass stood still, +then came a tremendous crash. It had collided with the fleet that +Piang had been sporting with only an hour before. Surely the stray +bits of jungle would crush each other to bits. A gray streak flew +past Piang, and a frightened monkey, thinking to save itself from +the other derelict, nearly landed on the babui. Paying no attention +to either the boy or the babui, the monkey shrank against a log and +hid its head, whining piteously. + +A pale light broke through the gloom, and the rain ceased as suddenly +as it had come. Piang's heart gave a bound as he watched the tempest +abate. Suddenly he straightened himself and strained his ears to catch +a new sound. What was that deep, distant rumbling? A cry so piteous +broke from him, that even the dying babui started. The falls! He could +hear them distinctly and realized that he was rushing toward them +at a mad pace. Louder and clearer grew the thunder of those falls, +and Piang's staunch little heart rebelled. He would not stand there +like a Dyak prisoner! He would do something. He would save himself! A +blazing flash rent the heavens and Piang caught sight of Ganassi Peak +frowning and lowering in the clouds. Ganassi! If he only knew! No, +it was too late. The falls roared hungrily, and nothing could keep +the island from plunging to destruction. + +Slowly Piang rose to his full height, and, folding his arms, determined +to die bravely. He could see the upper falls now, high above his +head, and he pictured the greater falls below him--the falls that +were waiting to swallow his island. He tried to remember the prayer +for such an occasion, but none came to him. + +"There is no God but Allah!" muttered the terrified boy. + +The island was pitching again as obstacles caught at it, spinning it +around and around. Each thing that it struck on its reckless journey +tore portions from it; gradually it became smaller. The light grew +steadily clearer, and Piang could see what awaited him. Massive rocks +loomed up at the head of the falls, and he calmly wondered if he would +be killed before the plunge. The side of the island where he stood +began to give way, and, although he was to die in a few minutes, +instinct made him move to the other side. He tried to walk, but +the ground gave at each step. He crawled along the trunk of a tree +and unexpectedly came upon the monkey. The little creature was still +huddled against the log and showed no fear of Piang; it whined louder, +seeming to sense the rapidly approaching danger. + +Suddenly the monkey jumped into the tree, and Piang followed it with +his eyes. It seemed to be gathering itself for a greater leap. As +Bruce watched the spider, so Piang, fascinated, kept his eyes on +the little wild thing. Gradually it dawned on him that the monkey +had discovered an avenue of escape! The island had veered off and +was fast approaching a monster boulder that would surely break it in +two. Growing on it were vines and trees hanging far out over the water. + +Piang stumbled along and somehow made his way to the burial tree. A +moment he paused, awed by a superstitious fear of the dead, but a +violent clap of thunder terrified him into forgetting all but his +immediate danger. There were only a few moments left; if he could +reach the top of the tree before the island dashed past the vines, he +might save himself. His hands tremblingly sought the notches sacred +to the dead; he scrambled upward. Thorns pierced his tired limbs; +vines and creepers took vicious delight in fastening themselves upon +him. The tree shook as the monkey jumped farther out on a limb, and +the movement seemed to put new strength in Piang. As he struggled up, +a calmness came to him. He carefully watched the monkey, and when +it crouched for the spring, Piang searched the approaching vines for +one strong enough to hold him. + +In a moment it would all be over. What if he jumped too soon or too +late? What if the vine proved too frail? The monkey was crouching +for the leap. The branch that Piang was clinging to bent under +his weight. The monkey flashed through the air, made a desperate +grab, and swung out of sight. In a daze, Piang prepared to follow; +breathlessly he watched for his chance. With a prayer on his lips and +with a mighty effort, he sprang straight out into space. His hands +closed over something small and round. A dizziness came over him. + +In dismay he felt the vine give, as if uncoiling itself from a +windlass. Down, down he fell until his feet touched the soggy earth +of the island. Still the vine uncoiled; the island crashed into the +boulder. Desperately Piang tried to climb the vine, but its slackness +offered no resistance. Slowly the island began to tip, to slide +over the falls, and Piang made one more effort to save himself. As +he grasped the vine more firmly, it brought up with a quick jerk, +almost breaking his hold. + +He felt the vine tighten, heard it creak and groan under his weight, +and finally it lifted him clear of the island, swinging him far out +over the abyss like a weight at the end of a pendulum. + +His island slid from under him, leaving him suspended in mid air; +in the second that he hung there, he could see the cruel rocks below, +the seething, steaming water. The stately funeral tree gently inclined +to the fall, and, with stern dignity, took the plunge. The dying +babui, flung far out into space, added its diminutive death-wail to +the din. The vine trembled over the chasm. Piang felt a quick rush +of air, a sickening feeling, as if he were rapidly falling; with a +tremendous impetus the vine swung back, crashed into a tree, and, +with the agility of the monkey, Piang climbed to safety. + +"There is no God but Allah!" came from the strained lips, and the +boy turned his eyes toward the setting sun as it struggled to pierce +the gloom. + +"_Bulutu!_" ("Rainbow!") he cried, and a faint smile flitted across +his bruised and bleeding face. + +Startled by a movement at his side, Piang found the frightened monkey +trying to thrust its head under his arm. Taking the trembling little +creature up, Piang pillowed it against his breast. And so these +strange companions, the timid, wild monkey and the gentle, savage boy +crouched in the tree together, watching the typhoon beat out its fury +on the helpless things of nature, and ever clearer grew the _bulutu_ +as it wreathed and crowned Piang's goal, Ganassi Peak. + + + + +THIRD ADVENTURE + +THE HERMIT OF GANASSI PEAK + + +The silence was oppressive. Piang stumbled along through the tangle of +vines and weeds, tired and foot-sore. Would he never find the path to +the peak? And was there really a mysterious old man who had lived up +there for over a hundred years? Sicto was somewhere on that mountain, +striving to reach the summit too, and the pandita had said that the +boy who arrived first, was the real charm boy. They had both started +from the _barrio_ (village) the same day; Sicto had plunged into the +jungle, while Piang had chosen the river and lake. He shuddered at +the recollection of his many narrow escapes during the journey. Where +was his enemy, Sicto, now? Had he found an easier route, and was he +already with old Ganassi, receiving the rites of charm boy? + +Unfamiliar with the vegetation on the mountain, Piang was afraid +to touch the many strange fruits, so he contented himself with +bananas and cocoanuts, and for water he drank dew from the enormous +pitcher-plants. The jungle was thick, and it was difficult to decide +in what direction to go, so Piang had to climb trees to get his +bearings. One day just as he was starting up a tall tree, he was +startled by a sound. Something was crashing through the bushes below +him. Visions of terrible mountain animals flashed through his head, +and he hastily scrambled up the tree. On came the creature, now pausing +a moment, now plunging into the mesh of vines, tearing them asunder, +always following the path Piang had made. Preparing himself for some +strange beast, the boy drew bow and waited. Suddenly he started. A cold +chill gripped him. That sound! It was a voice--Sicto's! Crouching +against the tree, Piang hoped to escape detection, but just as +Sicto passed beneath the tree, Piang's bow slipped and fell to the +ground. Sicto jumped aside and looked up: + +"Oh, ho, my pretty Piang! So I've got you, have I?" The bully started +up the tree. + +Like a flash Piang was away. As easily as any monkey he swung himself +into the next tree, and before Sicto realized it, Piang was taunting +him from the very top of a far-off tree. More agile and much smaller +than Sicto, Piang could easily travel in this way, and after a few +unsuccessful attempts to follow, Sicto jumped to the ground. Slyly +making his way along on foot, Sicto watched his rival. When Piang +thought he had outdistanced his pursuer, he slipped to the ground +and started off. + +"Leeeeee lèlèlèlè ouiiiit!" The war-cry rang through the jungle, +and Piang knew that his life depended on his fleet-footedness. Over +fallen tree trunks, through dense cogon grass, Piang fled. His feet +were pierced by wicked thorns, and everything he touched seemed to +throw out a defense against him. Bamboo caught at his clothing and +held him prisoner; _bajuca_ vines clutched his weapons, hurling him +to the ground. Sicto was gaining on him. After poor Piang had made +the path through the jungle, it was easy enough for Sicto to follow. + +On, up, fled the boy. He came to a clearing through which a mountain +stream was bubbling. The sun beat down; the stifling heat rising +from rotting vegetation took his breath away, but Piang ran on. What +was that black hole yawning in the mountain side? With a gasp, Piang +realized he was at the mouth of the haunted cave. + +The brook, flowing swiftly down the mountain, plunged into the cave +and disappeared, to come to the surface about two miles away. It was +the home of the most terrible reptiles and animals, and the souls of +wicked people waited there for Judgment Day. + +Piang scanned the precipitous cliffs, the impenetrable jungle, in +search of an avenue of escape. He was trapped. A gloating cry from +Sicto decided him. Sicto was a coward and would be afraid to follow +him, so Piang ran toward the cave. Had not the pandita said that +Ganassi would be with the real charm boy, and was not Piang sure of +that protection? Who but Piang was the charm boy? + +Piang's courage began to flag, however, as he caught the cold, damp +odor from the cave, but he bravely plunged into the forbidding-looking +cavern. Man had probably never set foot in that place before. Creeping +along, he peered into the increasing darkness, but could see nothing. A +shriek startled him, and the sight that met his eyes made his blood +run cold. Sicto had started to follow Piang, but just as he came +to the opening, a huge python slipped across the mouth of the cave, +waving its enormous head from side to side. Sicto, trembling with fear, +retreated into the jungle, and as Piang saw him disappear, he longed +to be out again, fighting Sicto, anything, rather than penned up in +the cave with that frightful snake and the unknown horrors. There +was no turning back, however, for that sentinel continued to slip and +slide across the opening, and Piang bravely faced the two miles that +lay between him and the other end of the underground passage. + +The air was heavy and moldy; the sides of the cave wet and +slippery. Once his hand touched something that moved, and he almost +fainted. + +"I am the real charm boy," he whispered, "and nothing will hurt +me. Ganassi, the wonder man, is with me. Forward!" + +Courageous and determined, the boy pressed on. A muffled cry resounded +through the passage. Flattening himself against the slimy wall, +Piang listened. He could not imagine what had made the sound, and he +unsheathed his knife. At times he followed the bed of the stream, +wading ankle-deep in the water, but the slippery stones turned or +tripped him, and when he stepped on something that moved, he groaned +and jumped to the narrow shelf-like ledge that overhung the water. + +A faint light stole through the gloom. Was it the end? But surely +not, he had not gone more than a few hundred yards. He hurried +forward. Brighter, clearer, it grew. Suddenly the brook made a sharp +turn, and he found himself in a high, vaulted chamber, sparkling and +shimmering in the light from above. Piang was so glad to see daylight +again, faint as it was, that he did not stop to consider new dangers, +and eagerly ran forward. He searched the sides for support on which +to climb to the crevices, but the rotting vines and moss that lined +the walls gave at his touch, and he fell back discouraged. Something +crumbled under his body, and he discovered to his horror that he had +fallen on a skeleton. A man had been here before him, then? But closer +examination proved the bones to be those of a _packda_ (ape). Snakes +and worms wriggled out of the skeleton, and Piang shrank back in +fear. The dread hamadryad leered at him; poisonous toads and lizards +scurried for cover. How many more of these creatures would he encounter +before escaping from this dungeon? Would Ganassi protect him and lead +him safely through? Something seemed to tell the boy that he was safe +and with renewed faith, he prepared to continue the journey. + +Everywhere the beauty of nature asserted itself. Pale green ferns +seemed to hold out beseeching arms toward the light; moss crept upward +hopefully, softening the rough ledges with its velvet touch. Great +stalagmites and stalactites, smothered in the embrace of lichen and +creepers, accepted the homage of the plant life indifferently. Piang +was blind to the sublimity of his surroundings, as he hurried +on. Carefully he stepped on the ledge; warily he held out his bolo +to ward off surprises. A sudden hiss made him leap into the stream, +and shuddering, he plunged on, down the black path. Would the stream +lead him to the sunlight again? Or was he burrowing into the depths +of the earth, never again to breathe the air of life? + +Finally, after almost giving up hope, he heard the distant call of +a mina-bird. The jungle! Frantically he worked his way forward, +wondering if the mate to the sentinel at the other opening would +bar his passage. Daylight! Faintly, at the end of the long tunnel, +he could see the blessed green of the forest, but his cry of joy was +stilled; his hope of safety vanished. Again that mournful cry echoed +through the cavern, and he gave himself up for lost. The souls of +the wicked were pursuing him, would capture him, and make him pay +for intruding upon them! Piang reeled as he heard a splash in the +water behind him; he caught at something for support; it writhed out +of his hand. Paralyzed with fear, the boy scarcely breathed. On came +the pursuer, stealthily, warily. Reaching the end of his endurance, +Piang wheeled, and faced the cave. Something paused, whined, and a +streak flew past him. The fetid odor of a living creature brought +him to his senses, and his anxious eyes discerned the outline of a +civet-cat making its way to the opening. + +As he struggled through those last few rods, Piang thought he had +never worked so hard in his life, but finally he lay in the sunshine, +safe, free, and unafraid. + + + +For two days Piang struggled upward. Everything was strange to him; +the growths and trees were different from those of the lowlands. Scrub +palms, covered with small buds, on which the dread packda feeds, +began to appear, and Piang anxiously scanned the trees. There is no +creature in the jungle that has the strength of the packda. Only the +crocodile and the python are foolish enough to attack it, but the +crocodile's jaws are torn asunder, and the python is clawed to pieces. + +"Piang!" The name echoed and vibrated through the forest. Who had +called him? Trembling with fear, filled with apprehension, Piang +took refuge in a tree. From the branches he scanned the surrounding +forest. Was a spirit following him from the haunted cave, or was it +the hated Sicto? + +"Piang!" It came softly this time, as if from a greater distance. The +underbrush moved, and Piang prayed that it might not be a spirit come +to destroy him. The bush rustled, cracked, and parted as a dazzling +white head made its appearance. Piang shut his eyes, dreading what +was to come. Almost swooning, he slipped, lost his hold, and went +crashing through the branches. Stunned by the fall, it was sometime +before he regained consciousness, but the first thing he was aware of, +was a hot breath on his face. Slowly he opened his eyes, wondering if +he was dreaming. There, bending over him, was a marvelous white fawn. + +Startled and ashamed, Piang looked at the lovely thing. He put out +his hand and the animal laid her soft muzzle in his palm, allowing +him to caress her. What did she want? Were some of her babies in +trouble? With his arm about the fawn's neck, Piang allowed himself +to be led along a well defined path, trodden by many feet. + +"Piang!" Again his name was called, but for some reason fear had been +banished from his heart, and he advanced without a qualm. Presently +they came to one of the numerous jungle clearings. The sun did not +burn at this altitude, and Piang took a deep breath of the fresh, +crisp air. A flapping of wings startled him, and before he could +prevent, a brilliant mina-bird circled his head and gently lighted +on his shoulder. A soft white mist was floating around and below +him. The clouds! He was in them, "the breath of the wind," and he +thought that this must be fairyland. + +"Piang!" This time the voice was near at hand. Both creatures responded +to the call, and Piang suffered himself to be led onward. The fawn +stopped near a gigantic banian-tree. It was the only tree in the +clearing and spread over more than an acre of ground, enticing the +surrounding creepers and orchids to its shelter. Piang had seen these +trees before, but never such a large one. The banian is like a huge +tent; each branch sends shoots to the ground, which take root and +become additional trunks, and year after year the tree increases its +acreage; hundreds of men can find shelter under these jungle temples. + +"Piang!" The voice came from within the tree. Astonished, Piang +watched the mina-bird flit through the sunlight and disappear into +the banya. The fawn paused, looked gravely into the boy's eyes, +and with stately mien, walked into the tree. + +"Thank you, my little friends, for bringing Piang to Ganassi," said +the voice from within. + +Ganassi! So this was the haunt! This lovely natural dwelling, the +dread Ganassi's home! Expectantly, Piang waited. Was Ganassi a man, +or was he only a voice, the heart of this banian-tree? While he stood +gazing at the tree, waiting for the spirit to address him, or the man +to appear, he was startled by a black, shiny head, and the loathsome +coils of a python, writhing in the branches. The serpent! Piang +had heard that it could fascinate animals, keeping them prisoner by +its mystic powers, until ready to devour them. Ganassi was, then, +an evil spirit in the form of a serpent! Piang uttered a low cry. + +"So, my little pet, you have frightened Piang, the charm boy! You +must not do that." + +The snake, responding to the voice, stuck its head through the foliage +and slipped from sight. + +The voice! The voice! It had called him the charm boy! Piang's fear +abated, and he said tremblingly: + +"O great Ganassi, will you not show yourself to me, +Piang?" Breathlessly the boy listened. The branches swayed, parted, +and the mina-bird floated through. The python, head erect, followed, +and next came the graceful white form of his first friend. On its +neck it supported a weird creature. Bent and wrinkled, was the +little old man; a few strands of white hair flowed from his chin, +and his eyebrows and lashes had almost disappeared. Toothless, almost +hairless as he was, there was that about Ganassi that precluded horror, +for his sparkling eyes were kind, and his mouth gently curved into +a smile. Piang fell on his knees. The hermit surrounded by his pets, +advanced and raised the boy. + +"My little Piang! So you have come to Ganassi at last. He has known +for many years that you would come. Long before you were born he knew, +and his heart is glad to welcome you." + +"Is it true, O wise man, that I am the real charm boy, and that I +shall lead Kali Pandapatan's tribe to victory?" + +"You have spoken, my son. It was over you, not the impostor, Sicto, +that the mystic star hovered on the night of your birth." + +At the mention of his enemy's name, Piang quickly scanned the +surrounding jungle, but Ganassi's soft chuckle reassured him. + +"Have no fear, child. Sicto can never harm you, nor will he ever reach +Ganassi. The python would smother him; the mina-bird would peck out +his eyes; the gentle fawn would lead him astray." + +"How do you know all this, O Ganassi?" + +"The question shall be answered, Piang, because you are charm boy, +but should other lips utter it, they should never speak again. Enter." + +Ganassi held back the slender trunk-roots of the banian. Curiously, +the boy looked about. All the wonder of the jungle seemed centered +in this sacred spot. A forest of stems and aerial roots greeted his +eyes; from overhead the graceful and rare Vanda lowii sent inquisitive +blooms to caress his cheek; they mingled with his dark hair, scenting +the air with their strange fragrance. From tree-ferns, nestling in +the branches, tiny heads peeped out, and little feathered creatures +chirruped a welcome. A civet-cat was lazily stroking its face with one +paw. Something large and hairy stirred on a nest of dried grass, and +sleepily a full-grown packda stretched himself and gazed at Piang. The +python approached it, and a hairy paw was extended; his snakeship +coiled up beside the ape, and the mina-bird flew to the ape's shoulder. + +Piang could scarcely believe his eyes. Here all was at peace, and +natural enemies forgot to fight and kill. + +"Piang, all these creatures are going to be your friends." + +Piang seated himself on the soft turf opposite Ganassi; the fawn +nosed her head under Piang's arm and sank by his side. + +"The charm that I am about to give you will protect you from tempest, +danger, and deceit: no storm can destroy you; no animal can creep upon +you unaware, and no man can lie to you. You will become the wise man +of Mindanao, the guide of your people, the heart of the island." + +Solemnly the boy followed the words of the old man. + +"You shall be taught all the truths of the nation, and you shall pass +them along to the generations." + +Piang's face brightened. At last he was to know the answers to many +puzzling questions. + +"Ask what you will, boy. I will answer you truthfully and justly, +telling you the things as they are, as they have been since the day +of creation." + +"Why, O Ganassi, must Mohammedans never eat the flesh of the wild +boar? It is forbidden that we touch pork, yet the Christians find it +good." Ganassi's brow clouded: + +"Have you never heard of the Christian's God? Do you not know that we +hate Christians because they believe a Son of God could be killed by +man? They call him Christ, but we know that the Almighty is Toohan, +omnipresent, omnipotent and omniscient. Their prophet Isa [Jesus] +once visited the great Mahomet, and when Mahomet demanded that he +divine what was in the room beyond, Isa refused, saying that he had +no wish to show power. + +"'Answer correctly, or you pay for it with your life!' thundered +Mahomet. Isa then replied that he had two strange animals in the room. + +"'Wrong!' cried Mahomet. 'You shall now be killed. My two beloved +grandchildren are behind those doors!' but when they were flung +open, two filthy boars ran out; Isa had changed the children into +pigs! And so, Piang, no true Mohammedan will eat the flesh of the +wild boar. Beware, lest you ever let a Christian hear this story; +it is not for us to acknowledge that Isa is greater than Mahomet." + +Piang was shocked. No wonder his people abstained from the flesh of +the boar. + +"Can you tell me what makes the sea rise and fall, and why the tides +rush in and flow out again?" asked Piang. + +A smile broke over Ganassi's leathery features. + +"In a far distant sea lives a giant crab; when he goes into his +hole, the water is pushed out, and when he comes forth for food, the +water rushes in." It was so simple that Piang laughed heartily. The +mina-bird, startled, squawked an admonition and fluttered to Piang's +lap. + +"Where do we go when we die," asked the inquisitive boy. + +Ganassi scouted the Christian's belief that heaven is in the +clouds. Were they not in the clouds now? + +"When a child is born, the soul enters the body through the +opening left in the skull. This hole soon closes, confining the +spirit within. When death comes to a household in Moroland, have +you not seen the master of the house mount to the roof and remain +there through the night? Well, that is to prevent the evil spirit, +Bal-Bal, from entering. This dread creature sails through the air +like a flying Lemur (monkey), tears the thatch from the roof with +his terrible curved nails, scatters the defenders, and licks up the +body with his forked tongue of fire. The soul of this deceased never +reaches heaven. Your charm, Piang, will ward him off." The boy sat, +mouth open, eyes staring. "A soul is guided to a cave that leads deep +down in the earth, and there, between two gigantic trees, stands +Taliakoo, a giant, who tends the eternal fires. Taliakoo inquires +of the newcomer what he has to say for himself, and to the surprise +of the soul, something within it answers. Conscience, the witness, +replies, and according to the decree of this strange arbiter, the fate +of the soul is decided. If nothing but ill can be said for it, it is +pitched into the fire; if it has been good, it is allowed to pass on +to the abode of the blessed. The soul that meets with neither fate, +is punished according to its sins: if it has lied, its mouth pains; +if it has been a thief, its hands itch and burn, and eventually, +after the period of punishment is over, it precedes to heaven, +cleansed of its sins." + +The big ape, sleeping soundly, emitted a snore so human, that Piang +laughed. + +"Why does the packda look so like a man, Ganassi?" + +"Because he once _was_ a man," was the startling reply. "He +was lazy and, instead of working, climbed trees and hunted minas +(monkey-nuts). A companion, becoming vexed, uttered a curse on him +and threw a stick at him. These things clung to the lazy man: the +stick became a tail, and the curse deprived him of speech. Ashamed +of himself, he and his family took to the trees, never to return." + +Many questions were put to the wise old hermit, and his ready answers +astonished, but satisfied, Piang. Night came on, and the strange +company lay down together under the shelter of the banian and slept. + +Piang was very happy. He had reached Ganassi, was proclaimed the +real charm boy, and was at last to receive the glorious charm. Some +said it was a star tossed to Moroland by the Creator, that it was the +emblem of power, and that he who wore it would be filled with a divine +understanding. Others believed it to be the great diamond of Borneo, +captured many years before from the pirates of that fierce land. Piang +did not care which it proved to be, as long as it shone and sparkled +with beauty. All agreed that its brilliance dazzled the eye, that its +magnificence was unrivaled. Ganassi had waited a hundred years for +the charm boy who was destined to wear it, and at last the star had +proclaimed Piang to be the lucky boy. Through Piang's dreams flitted +the visions of shimmering jewels of gold, and the happy smile on the +boy's lips made old Ganassi's heart glad. + + + +"Up, up with you, sleepyhead!" called Ganassi. "The sun will catch +you napping if you do not hurry." + +Piang sleepily rubbed his eyes and sat up. Horror and fright seized +him as he beheld the body of the python curled up beside him and the +packda contemplating him with indifference. From the doorway Ganassi +smilingly watched him. + +"Come, my subjects are assembling; they will all assist in the ceremony +of the sacred charm." The charm! Piang remembered and jumped to his +feet. Creatures from all over the mountain were answering Ganassi's +weird call; the air was full of fluttering birds, and monkeys came +swinging toward them. Ganassi gave to each a sweet or a fruit. + +"Piang, no dato can boast of a grander court than Ganassi, +eh?" chuckled the old man. + +It was indeed marvelous. Ganassi seemed to reign among the jungle folk +as royally as any king. He chastised, praised, petted, and scolded; +and one and all the beasts loved their wizened little master. Solemnly +Ganassi went about his task. From his bosom he took a small object, +smoothed, and caressed it. Piang trembled with excitement. Ganassi +called each animal, and they responded to the beloved voice. + +"Piang, my creatures approve my action. This is the sacred charm. One +and all the animals have blessed it, and through your life, if you +have faith, nothing will harm you." Piang's eyes darted around the +strange circle, and, indeed, the animals accepted him as naturally +as they did Ganassi. + +"The time has come, Piang. The heavens have watched over you from +babyhood, and you have proved your worth and bravery many times. I +am ready to reward you. Come!" + +Trembling, the boy advanced. Kneeling before the hermit, Piang clasped +his hands and prayed that he might be worthy of the great honor about +to be bestowed upon him. Gently the wise man laid his hands on Piang's +head; softly he muttered a few words; then something dropped around +the boy's neck. + +"You may rise, Piang. You are now invincible!" + +Bounding to his feet, Piang clasped the charm. + +"I cannot see it, Ganassi. May I unclasp it to behold its beauty +and splendor?" Keenly the old man looked into the face of the boy, +measuring him, studying him. + +"And if it is not beautiful, shiny, and bright, boy, what then?" + +"Oh, but it must be, Ganassi! It is the most valuable thing in +the world!" + +"You may unclasp it, Piang." + +Clumsily the boy fumbled with the fastenings; eagerly his eyes sought +the charm. His face went blank; tears sprang to his eyes. He was +holding a tiny gourd, no larger than a monkey-nut, suspended from +a necklace of polished crocodile teeth. His disappointed eyes met +Ganassi's, still studying him. + +"Are you not satisfied, Piang? Are you then unworthy of the great +honor bestowed upon you? Do you think that to be of value a thing must +sparkle and shine?" Piang gathered himself, hid his disappointment, +and bravely answered: + +"I am satisfied." + +"Shake the gourd, Piang." + +A hollow rattle came from the immature growth, and Piang's face +brightened. + +"Its worth may be inside. Who knows? Only Ganassi, the wonder man, +and he will tell no one." The keen old eyes twinkled as they watched +Piang's face. + +The mystery! It was again established, and Piang was happy. Maybe +the precious stones were inside and some day would be revealed to +him! As if reading his thoughts, Ganassi said: + +"The charm must remain intact to wield its spell; if the gourd should +ever be broken or stolen, both you and the charm lose the mystic power +lately bestowed upon it. Piang, the source of power is faith! Believe, +be honest, be true, and the world holds naught but joy for you and +Kala Pandapatan's people." + +A silence fell upon them all. The solemn words had sobered Piang, +and he gazed into the eyes of the wise man. + +"Begone, boy. The sun rises, and you have many miles to go. To-night +I will light the signal fires and tell your tribe that you have come +and gone, that Piang is charm boy of Kali Pandapatan's people forever." + + + + +FOURTH ADVENTURE + +THE FIRE TREE + + +The velvety dusk of the jungle was pierced here and there by the +brilliant, crimson buds of the fire-tree. For weeks all Moroland had +waited for their coming, the heralds of the combat season. During +the harvest time there is a truce in these turbulent islands, but +when the crops have been gathered, the natives become restless and +long to sally forth to conquer. The myth that victory comes only +to the tribe whose fire-tree has bloomed is implicitly believed, +and impatiently the Moros await this announcement of the combat +season. Paying no heed to their capital city, Manila, these merry +little isles revel in intrigue, and there is no sport in Moroland that +can compare with the combat. Tribes go forth to conquer and enslave +others; the men look forward to it as an opportunity to prove their +prowess; the women thrill at the possibility of capture. True, they +may become the slaves of some unscrupulous dato, but there is always +the romantic chance that they may fall into the hands of the hero of +their dreams and become the favorite of his seraglio. + +"Where is Piang?" Dato Kali Pandapatan addressed a copper-colored +slave who salaamed and replied: + +"In the jungle, O most high one, searching for the blooming fire +branch." + +"It is well." Kali Pandapatan, with folded arms, paused in the +doorway of his hut, watching expectantly the only opening into the +frowning jungle. + +"He comes! He comes!" rippled through the barrio. + +The eager inhabitants gathered to learn if the time was yet ripe. Into +their midst ran a slim, bronze lad, waving above his head a branch, +almost bare of green, but aflame with crimson blossoms. There was +a hush. Women gathered their children to them; men grasped their +weapons more firmly, and the young boys looked with longing eyes at +the fortunate Piang. + +"_Ooola!_" exclaimed Piang. Every lip repeated the word; every knee was +bent, and the tribe lay prostrate at his feet; only old Kali Pandapatan +remained standing, eyeing Piang with satisfaction. For a full two +minutes the crowd remained motionless. The palm-trees whispered and +crackled above them, and the river sent a soft accompaniment to the +jungle music. To and fro above their heads Piang majestically waved +the branch, until finally one bold voice demanded: + +"_Anting-anting!_" ("The charm, the charm!") Piang defiantly bared +his breast, exposing the sacred charm suspended from his necklace of +crocodile teeth. There was moaning in the crowd, sobs of excitement, +and protests of impatience, but every head remained lowered until +the august relic was again covered. Piang began to chant in a high, +nasal voice, and the others rose and joined in creating a weird, +monotonous drawl. Like a statue stood the boy, holding the branch +high above his head while they circled round and round him. Faster, +faster they whirled; in a frenzy they shrieked; some fell and others +tramped them in their excitement. Suddenly the boy stamped his feet, +uttering a sharp cry. Every eye turned toward him. + +"To the river!" he cried and lead the way. Two boys hurried forward +and were on their knees in a twinkling, hollowing out a place in the +sand, dog fashion. With many incantations and prayers, the branch was +planted in the hole, the damp sand laid carefully around the base, +and the two proud boys left to watch. If the flowers of the fire +tree faded before the scorching sun set, it was destined that the +tribe would be unsuccessful in its ventures for the season; should +the blooms defy the rays of the sun until the dews of evening rested +on its petals, old Kali Pandapatan could sally forth unafraid to meet +his fierce brothers of the jungle. + +Patiently they waited through the long, hot day; many eyes were +anxiously turned toward the sacred emblem, but none dared approach. The +little Moro boys, in whose care the branch had been left, squatted in +silent patience. No butterfly was suffered to light on the delicate +petals, no droning bee allowed to gather the honey of its cups. On +dragged the sweltering afternoon. Piang and the dato were the only +ones allowed to know that the branch was still fresh, but only Piang +knew that its flowers had been dipped into a cool stream before it +came to the tribe to foretell its victories or defeats. + +"Allah, il Allah!" the call rang through the village. Sunset, the +hour of prayer! Now, now they would know. Solemnly old Pandita Asin +led the chant while the Moros prostrated themselves in supplication, +and the dying sun slipped over the mountains, touching every tree +and flower with its gold. + +There was great feasting and celebration in the barrio that +night. Women donned their most brilliant sarongs, tinted their +silver-tipped finger nails with henna, and streaked their brows +with splotches of white rice paste. The men twisted their hair up in +gorgeous head-cloths, and the knot bristled with creeses. Suspended +from their many-colored sashes were barongs, campilans or bolos, and +tiny bells were fastened into the lobes of their ears. The brilliantly +striped breeches seemed likely to burst, so tightly were they drawn +over shapely limbs. + +The branch had not withered. It had withstood the scorching rays of +the sun. Kali Pandapatan was invincible. + + + +"Piang!" called Kali Pandapatan. + +The noises of the barrio were hushed. Their dato had spoken. The +name was repeated, and gradually the call reached the charm boy, +idly dangling his feet in a clear brook, attracting and scattering +the curious fish. He sprang to his feet, listened, and darted off. His +sleek, well fashioned limbs glistened in the sunlight, and the sarong +that was gracefully flung over one shoulder floated out behind like a +flame fanned by the wind. Twined in his long black hair was a wreath +of scarlet fire flowers; every face brightened as he fled past. + +"You have again brought the sign, Piang. When do we fight?" asked +Kali Pandapatan. + +"Not until we have delivered the _siwaka_ (tribute) to the sultan at +Cotabato. The fire-tree has not yet bloomed in the enemy's country, +and we may yet pass through safely," Piang replied. + +"You have spoken," said the dato and laid his palms on the youth's +head. + +Though the latent passion of battle stirred in the Moros' breasts, +they were compelled to heed. Piang had proved a wise charm boy, and +the tribe must obey him. Each season the siwaka must be carried over +the steep, treacherous trail down to the coast, and those detailed +to accompany the slaves who carried the bags of rice and _comoties_ +(sweet-potatoes), dreaded the trip. Added to the pitfalls of the +obscure trail, were hostile territories to be traversed, and if the +enemies' fire-tree had bloomed, they would surely be attacked and +probably despoiled of their cargo. + +"We will need warriors to guard the siwaka, chief," Piang reminded +Kali, and the chief nodded and gave a quiet order. Every man +disappeared from the streets. When they returned, in place of the +gaudy, tight trousers, they were wearing loose, black pantaloons, +the garb of battle. The women, true to the feminine nature, wailed and +cried aloud, but in their hearts they, too, were glad that the quiet, +monotonous days were over, and that before nightfall they might sleep +in some strange cota (fort), slave or wife of the victorious dato. + +"Piang," murmured a soft voice at the charm boy's elbow, and he turned +to find the little slave girl, Papita, timidly looking up at him. + +"_Chiquita?_" ("Little one?") he questioned. + +"Sicto goes with you. Beware of him, for he would kill you!" + +"I am not afraid," proudly answered Piang, "but why would Sicto +kill me?" + +Solemnly the little girl touched Piang's breast where lay hidden the +sacred charm. + +"He would kill you so that he might be charm boy of the tribe," +whispered the girl. Piang laughed gaily, patted his little friend on +the arm, and bounded to the head of the forming column. Nevertheless +he noticed Sicto's sly, surly glance as the slaves and warriors bent +before him. + +Amid beating of tom-toms, wails of women, and howls of dogs, the +column, single file, dipped into the jungle and was lost to sight. + +Anxiously Piang watched for signs of the fire-tree as they slipped +along through the enemies' country, but as yet the buds had not +stirred, and he was thankful that the warm rains had not come to coax +them into glow. That whole day the party toiled silently through the +dense cogon grass that covered the mesa. High above their heads waved +the wiry, straw-colored spines. Its sharp edges cut into the flesh, +tore through cloths, stinging and paining old wounds. Not a breath of +air reached them through the impenetrable mass, and the sun beat down +on them mercilessly. For long stretches the path tunneled through the +grass, boring deeper into the tangle, and they were almost suffocated +by the choking dust that stung their nostrils. + +"_Iki!_" ("Beware!") called Sicto. Every bolo was out, every savage +ready, but the word was passed along the line that the leader, +Sicto, had stepped on a snake. Entirely surrounded by the cruel +grass the column paused. The heat, increased by the oven-like +tunnel grew steadily worse, and those in the rear gasped and fought +for breath. They could hear the scuffle as the leaders fought the +reptile, and the fetid odor of the dread creature added to their +discomfort. Sicto had been swinging along ahead, stepping lightly on +the mattress-like turf, when he felt something move under his foot. It +was well under the matted grass, but it was wise to despatch the +creature if possible. Piang came to his assistance, and the snake, +probably gorged with rotting meat, exuded a terrible odor as it was +stabbed to death. Kicking the wriggling remains out of the path the +column pushed on, wondering if they would ever come to the end of +the stifling tunnel. + +"Will it rain soon, Piang?" panted Tooloowee, as he toiled along +behind the charm boy. + +"I cannot tell yet, but by sunset we shall know." + +Toward evening the grass thinned perceptibly, and the steaming, +aching bodies felt the cool air rustling through the stalks. + +"We are near the jungle; soon we shall be cool," sighed Kali +Pandapatan. Yes, it was growing cooler; they could breathe again, +but Piang knew that before morning they would be shivering with cold, +that the rain would come in the night. He smelled it, the rain that +would not come to help them through the arduous day. + +When it came, there was a shout of joy. Kali looked anxiously at his +sweating tribesmen. After the terrific heat of the day, this rain would +chill them, and fever would surely follow; he must keep them on the +move. There was a murmur of protest as the order was given to move; +they had rested a scant two hours. By nine o'clock they were under +way again, struggling with the jungle as they had fought the mesa. The +downpour was straight and steady. It burrowed through the thick foliage +and ran down the tree trunks in torrents. The footing became uncertain, +and Piang warned Kali to look out for broken limbs. For many yards the +path lay along fallen tree trunks, slippery with moss and mold. The +footing became so treacherous that the order was given to crawl on all +fours, and the progress was painfully slow and tedious. Frequently +they strayed from the path and were forced to halt. The torches at +the head of the column twinkled and flickered fitfully, but they only +seemed to make the darkness more visible; they sputtered and flared, +but the flames resisted the rain, and to the weary Moros they seemed +like good spirits sent to guide them through the terrible jungle night. + +Palm leaves, strewn in the path, had long clusters of needle-like +spines at their bases that pierced their feet, and the cry "_tinick!_" +("thorns!") rang out frequently through the night. Finally it became +necessary to march close up, in solid line, each man with his hand on +the shoulder of the man in front. When the leader warned "_Cajui!_" +("Log!"), each repeated it as he stumbled over the obstacle, and if +one fell, half the line would be bowled over. + +"_Tubig Malakee!_" cried Piang. ("The big water!") Yes, the dull +murmur of the river was plainly heard through the dripping rain, +and they all quickened their pace in the desire to rid themselves of +the jungle. Piang attempted to guide them across, but he walked into +the water and sank from sight, and there was a cry of horror, for it +seemed that one of the many crocodiles had dragged him under. When +he came up sputtering and splashing, none the worse for his dip, +he chided them for their little faith and pointed significantly to +his charm. He had miscalculated in the blackness of the night and +could not locate the ford. A drizzling rain was still falling; great +hairy-legged spiders skated over the water, making things grewsome; +the large lily-pad leaves moved suspiciously, so Kali gave the orders +to camp for the rest of the night. + +Silently the Moros prepared their camp. Deftly the ends of low-lying +branches were pinioned to the ground with forked sticks; over these +supports hemp and banana leaves were strewn to shield the sleepers +from the heavy dew and rain. After many attempts a fire was coaxed +into life, much to the dismay of the jungle folk. A beautiful golden +fly-catcher, probably mistaking the glare of the fire for dawn, awoke +and began to sing at the top of its tiny voice; a parrot screamed +lustily. A venerable old monkey, sleepily rubbing its eyes, shook +its fist, muttering profanely. Sicto, exasperated at the persistent +maledictions, raised his bow. + +"Do not kill the monkey, Sicto," warned Piang. "It is not good to +kill in the jungle except for food or self-protection!" + +A scowl was the only reply, but the big mestizo lowered his bow and +turned over on his bed of leaves. + +"Kali, we are no longer safe," Piang whispered as he crouched over +the improvised bed of his chief. + +"Sssshhhh," he warned, finger on lip. "Do not wake the others." Then +he pointed toward a spot where hoards of fireflies clustered around +one tree, twinkling and swerving to and fro. It was a beautiful sight, +but far from a novel one to these two. + +"The fire-tree!" muttered Kali. + +"Yes," answered Piang. "The rain has brought the blooms to the valley, +and we will be attacked to-morrow!" Silently they gazed at the strange +tree. Fireflies abandon every tree and shrub for the fire-tree the +moment it puts forth its buds, and nothing can coax them away until +the ominous scarlet blossoms have drooped and fallen to the ground. + +"We dare not cross the river now, Kali," said Piang, "but we can +build rafts and float down to Cotabato." + +And so it was decided. Early in the muggy dawn the warriors set to +work constructing rafts out of bamboo and ratan (palm), and soon the +siwaka was loaded and the journey continued by water. + +Arrogantly Piang rode at the head of the procession, his proud little +head crowned with a wreath of fire-tree blooms, the corners of his +raft decorated with sprigs of the flaming buds. Cautiously they +poled down the swift stream, avoiding treacherous logs and snapping +crocodiles. Piang chuckled with delight as they stole along, for the +enemy would not discover the ruse until they were far away. + +It was some time before Sicto was missed. His name was passed from +raft to raft, but none had seen him that morning. At first it was +feared that one of the crocodiles had pulled him from a raft, but +something seemed to tell Piang that the wily half-breed had stolen +away to warn the enemy of Kali's strategy. Once the news of the rich +booty to be captured and the prisoners to be taken had reached the +valley people, nothing could keep them from pursuing, now that their +fire-tree had bloomed. A solemn conclave was held. + +The river is almost inaccessible from the jungle except at one point, +the Big Bend. This is a favorite camping-ground of the valley people +during the combat season; here their sacrifices are offered, their +victims thrown to the crocodiles; they exercise full control of the +river. If Sicto succeeded in warning the enemy before Kali reached +that point there would be little hope of escape. Another force would +surely be posted where he had embarked, cutting Kali off from his +reinforcements at home. It was too late to attempt a retreat, however, +hampered as they were with the cumbersome siwaka. Reach that bend +first, they must. + +"The charm, Piang," whispered Kali. Springing to his feet, the boy +uttered a fierce "Oola." Every head bowed, and the sacred talisman +was exposed. + +"Forward, brothers!" he cried. "Forward with all your strength!" + +The sun came out, and the dripping jungle began to steam. Palm leaves +were constructed into hats to guard against sunstroke. Toward sunset +they drew near the danger point. What was that monotonous sound dully +vibrating through the jungle? Anxiously all eyes turned toward Piang. + +"It is well, brothers," bravely comforted the boy. "Yes, that is the +tom-tom of your enemy. Sicto has betrayed us, but have no fear. Piang, +the charm boy leads you; take courage, and Allah, the Merciful, will +give you victory." Piang commenced a murmur of prayer, and the Moros, +joining in, filled the fast-settling night with whispered invocations +which drifted off through the jungle. + +Another council of war was held. + +"Piang, if they have had time to lay the boom, what shall we do?" + +"Go forward, Kali. Fight your way through the blockade," answered the +charm boy. "I will remain here with a few men to guard to siwaka. Do +you hide at the first bend until the moon gives you light, then +strike!" + +The astonished warriors looked with misgiving from one to the other, +but Kali answered firmly: + +"It shall be so, Piang." + +The Moros were quickly assembled for the advance, and Kali paused by +the side of Piang's raft: + +"If we are driven back, Piang, I will give three calls of the +mina-bird. Answer likewise and retreat as quickly as possible." + +"Forward, Kali Pandapatan," answered Piang with great dignity. "We +will not retreat." + +Like ghosts in the night the little handful of men parted from their +fellows and courageously faced the river and its dangers. The stream, +swerving to the left, flows on to the apex of the Big Bend. As +if regretting its departure from the true course, it doubles back +and returns to take up its original direction at a point separated +from its first departure by only a few rods. Between the two points +is a waste of murky soil and sand, covered by dense growths of the +jungle's choicest variety of obstacles. Gloomily Piang contemplated +the morass that lay between him and freedom. Long he sat, looking into +the distance where he could almost see the river as it completed the +curve and swept on to the ocean. What would he not give to be safely +on the other side? Suddenly he sat up very straight. Why not? The +sand was soft, the current swift. If he could only make a narrow ditch +across the flats. Pulling his raft up to the right side of the river, +he jumped to the bank, but when he sank ankle-deep in the soft, sticky +earth, he climbed hastily back. Poling along he searched for a solid +footing, but everywhere the marshy soil gave, and he abandoned his +attempts to land. The night grew deeper, blacker. + +"Why not, why not?" he whispered again. The others came scurrying up +in response to his excited call. + +"My brothers, Allah has sent me wisdom," he announced. "It is your +duty to obey me!" Eagerly they listened, glad of any distraction, +but when Piang explained that he wanted them to abandon their safe +bamboo floats for the treacherous flats, home of crocodiles and vermin, +there was a murmuring protest. Anger blazed in Piang's eyes. + +"Am I not charm boy?" he demanded. "Any one who refuses to obey me +will be thrown to the crocodiles!" Gradually the dominant nature +overruled their timidities, and the protests subsided. Following +Piang's directions, strips of bamboo were cut, and the charm boy +constructed light frames for his feet. They looked like snow-shoes, +and when he bound one securely to each foot and jumped lightly to the +bank, there was a cry of surprise. Piang, the wonderful, was indeed +sent by Allah to guide them! + +In a twinkling each Moro was supplied with similar mud-shoes, and +like giant land-crabs, they flitted off across the marsh. Too wise +to begin before reconnoitering, Piang led his men to the banks of +the stream below to Big Bend. After hasty calculations he set them +to work digging toward the head waters, following a line of ratan +which he stretched to guide them. + +Faster, faster flew the scoops and broad knives; deeper, wider grew +the ditch that was to form a new river-bed. Piang was everywhere. He +flew about on his light frames as lightly as a faun, directing the +construction of new tools, calculating and measuring for the ditch. + +Once he heard a call from the man guarding the rafts. A troop of wild +hogs, attracted by the comoties, was trying to reach the rafts. Piang +lighted a torch and hurled it among them. Crocodiles lurked near, +and he ordered torches kept burning to frighten them also. + +New difficulties confronted Piang. Would the water not at first rush +through the ditch with such force that the rafts would be dashed +to pieces? He held a branch in the current; it was torn from his +grasp. With great foresight, he ordered all the floats to be taken +up the river and securely moored. Back to the ditch he flew. Yes, +yes, it was going to be successful! Before the attack was made by +Kali Pandapatan, Piang would have the rafts through the cut-off, +safely on their journey to the estuary. How surprised the dato would +be when Piang advanced against the enemy from the other side of the +Big Bend! He laughed softly, hugging himself in boyish delight. + +Away he pattered toward some men who were apparently in difficulty. + +"_Halamantek!_" ("Leeches!") they called. They were pulling the +slothful creatures off each other, but as soon as they freed themselves +from the pests, more fell from above or crept up from the mud. Piang +had foreseen this difficulty and had supplied himself with a small +gourd filled with cocoanut oil, strongly saturated with cinchona +(quinine). Offering some of his small store to the men, they gratefully +rubbed the mixture into their flesh and bent to their task again. Piang +exhorted them to work, warning them if the ditch was not completed +before moonrise, all would be lost, and off he danced blending in with +the night and its secrets like a picturesque _pampahilep_ (jungle imp). + +Only Moros could have accomplished so difficult a task in the +dark. With a will they sturdily plied the crude tools and before +the blackness of the night had been lifted by the rising moon, the +excited little party was crowding around Piang as he examined the few +remaining feet to be accomplished. Like a general meeting a crisis, +Piang sharply gave his orders: + +"Tooloowee, take your pole and stand on the far side of the ditch. When +I give the signal, push the dyke with all your might." He stationed +another powerful Moro opposite Tooloowee. + +"Bungao, do you hasten to the rafts and prepare to resist the first +flood that will sweep through the ditch." + +When all was ready Piang raised his hand and the struggle began. Little +by little the soft mud was worked away, and the current, feeling +the banks weaken, seemed to lose interest in its natural bed. At +first the stream only caressed its new-found outlet, but gradually +it concentrated its forces, and, with a mighty rush, attacked the +slight remaining resistance and went thundering off into the ditch. A +smothered cry went up from the Moros: + +"Piang! Piang!" How they loved their wise little charm boy! + +But the work was not yet completed. Piang let go his anchorage and +headed for the mouth of the ditch. The water was rapidly widening +the work of their hands, but in places the cut-off was barely wide +enough to let the long slender floats by, and the water was rushing +through with terrific force. The moon trembled on the brink of the +jungle. Would they reach the other side in time to aid Kali? Suppose +he was driven back before Piang and his men could attack from the +other side? + +"_Ala! ala!_" ("Quickly! quickly!") Piang called softly. His raft +came up with a sudden jerk, almost throwing him into the seething, +muddy torrent. Other rafts bumped into his, and soon a blockade was +forming as the swift current bore them down upon him. Piang cut and +slashed at the banks, tearing away protruding vines and accumulating +driftwood. The moon, the moon, would it wait? Frantically he toiled +while Tooloowee held off the other rafts with his long pole. When +Piang's float was finally released, it bounded joyously along, nosing +first one bank, then the other. The river! He could see it! Only a +few rods more! + +At the mouth of the ditch there was more trouble. Mud and debris had +collected along the sides, but these were quickly worked through and +they passed into the main river. Little short of a miracle had been +performed. The ditch was growing wider and deeper every moment and +judging from the enormous flow of water, it would not be long before +the river deserted its circuitous route in favor of this direct one. + +"Quick! quick!" whispered Piang. "Bungao, bind the siwaka rafts +together and head for Cotabato. We will overtake you before +sunrise." A faint cry reached them. Kali had begun the attack. In +an agony of suspense the brave Moros worked their way up toward the +Big Bend. Suddenly Piang grasped Tooloowee's arm and pointed toward +a streak that ran across the river. + +"The boom! We must cut it!" They made a dash toward the obstacle that +stood in Kali's path, but an arrow whizzed by their heads. + +"Tooloowee, we have been discovered. I go to cut the way!" and before +the astonished Tooloowee could prevent, Piang had dived into the +water and disappeared. + +"Piang, the crocodiles, the crocodiles!" wailed Tooloowee, but the +charm boy could not hear as he slipped up the muddy river, swimming +easily under water. Just as Kali was preparing to retreat, driven back +by the fierce storm of arrows, he gave the signal that had been agreed +upon. Three loud calls in imitation of the mina-bird went wailing +through the night. What was Kali's surprise to hear the answer a few +yards in front of him! And what was that dark shape bobbing up and +down on the boom? + +While he watched, amazed, the big clumsy logs divided, and swung slowly +out, leaving the channel clear. Piang had severed the ratan thongs. + +"Lééééé lelele ouiiiiii!" crashed through the night, and Kali +recognized his tribal war-cry. + +"Piang! Piang!" he cried. The dark shape, clinging to the drifting +boom answered, and Kali rushed toward it. Before the enemy could +gather their scattered wits, the whole party was sweeping by, on +toward freedom. As Kali bore down on Piang, the boy raised himself +to meet the raft. It was coming at a terrific rate, and he feared it +would knock him off the boom; measuring the distance, he prepared to +leap. On came the raft, Kali leaning far over the side, arms extended +to grab the boy. When Kali was only a few yards off, Piang screamed: + +"_Boia! boia!_" ("Crocodile! crocodile!") The men on the raft saw the +water stir and hurled spear and arrow, but they glanced off the scaly +hide. It was a race with death, and what a miserable death for Piang, +their idol! The boy grew cold and sick as he waited. Suddenly the raft +paused, held in check by Kali's pole. Piang almost fainted. What was +his chief doing? In a moment he realized that the quick action had +saved his life. The raft swerved, bumped against the crocodile, and +came between it and Piang. The next moment Piang was in Kali's arms. + +In the light of the gray dawn, Sicto watched these two as they gazed +into each other's eyes; they swept triumphantly by, heedless of +flying arrows. The radiant fire-tree blooms still clustered around +Piang's head, and his sacred charm gleamed in the early light. Firmly +believing that spirits had aided Piang in his remarkable feat, Sicto +trembled with fear, and, with a last glance at the victorious charm +boy, he turned and fled into the jungle. + +Wonderingly, Kali Pandapatan and his followers viewed the new cut-off +as they floated by. Amazed, they listened to the marvelous tale. Old +Dato Kali Pandapatan laid his hands once again on his favorite's head: + +"Little brother," he said, "this shall be known as Piang's +Cut-off. Some day you will be the greatest dato in Mindanao." + + + + +FIFTH ADVENTURE + +RIDING THE CATARACT + + +News that a strange craft had put into Cotabato reached Piang in his +mountain home. Hurriedly he gathered his few weapons together and +started down the trail. He passed many traders and venders, who had +also heard of the boat, and he hastened his steps in his desire to +be there early. + +"_Un-di?_" ("Whither?") called Sicto as Piang trotted past him. + +"To the barrio," replied Piang. Sicto hurried to keep up with him, +but Piang had no wish to be in company with the ne'er-do-well Moro +boy, and he did not try to conceal his feelings. The natural dignity +of the Oriental kept Sicto from displaying his anger at the repulse, +but he sullenly slackened his pace and registered a black mark against +this haughty Piang. + +Piang loved to be alone; his playmates were too noisy, too talkative; +he, too, loved to chatter and play games at times, but now in the +jungle, as the morning light slowly broke through the damp foliage, +he wished to be alone and watch nature unfold to the coming day. It +seemed to him that the huge elephant ears lifted their dew-weighted +leaves and shook themselves in the gentle wind. The monkeys peeped out +at him and continued to make their toilet undisturbed. Other travelers +startled the little creatures into watchfulness, but Piang came upon +them so silently, so peacefully, that they scarcely noticed him. + +There was one spot, half-way down the trail which he wanted to reach +alone; there the jungle seemed to part, as if to grant a glimpse of +the harbor below. He quickened his stride, and as he passed a party +of men one of them called to him, "You will be first to-day, little +fleet one." So there was none before him. He was glad, and when he +came within sight of the clearing, he rejoiced in his solitude. He +wondered if the boat was a vinta from Borneo, or if it was loaded +with copra for Japan. There now, when that mist lifted, he would know. + +As the beautiful harbor broke upon his sight, Piang paused, holding +his breath, for out of the boat, the only one in view, smoke was +pouring. It was on fire! But why were the people not trying to save +the cargo? A huge black stick standing in the middle of the hull was +belching smoke. While he was regretting that he would be too late +to assist at the rescue, he was startled by a thin white stream +spurting out of the mast-head. Gradually he connected it with the +shrill whistle that pierced his ears. + +Piang wanted to run back, to warn the others that some strange monster +had sailed into their midst; but he saw that his brothers in the barrio +were calmly watching the thing, and as it did not seem to hurt them, +he took courage and dashed on down the trail into the jungle. All the +rest of the journey he strained his ears to catch that shrill voice, +which he was now sure came from the boat. As he flew through the silent +forest he recalled the tales of the demons that the wise men talked +about, and he decided to approach the thing with caution. Finally he +stood on the shore, and there before his eyes was a boat that seemed +to be alive. It was breathing. But where were its sails? How did it +move? Clusters of natives, their fear stilled by curiosity, watched +the approach. Breathlessly they waited. It was coming toward the tiny +wharf, and just as it settled alongside, a piercing screech from it +sent them tumbling over each other in a mad attempt to get away. From +the safety of trees and huts they waited. Big men, pale and straight, +walked from the boat and beckoned them to descend. Cautiously the +more daring ones responded, and soon the whole population was gathered +around the visitors. + +Curious to see what the strangers were showing the dato, Piang slipped +quietly up behind and caught sight of the most beautiful colored +cloth he had ever seen. "Bandana," the pale man called it. Piang +longed to possess it for his mother; how she would love to wear it +for her gala head-dress! The sailor then produced a tiny object that +glistened and sparkled in the sun; it was about as large as the palm +of Piang's hand and very thin. The Moros were very much excited over +it, and when Piang reached up on tip-toes to peer through the crowd, +he cried aloud, for there, staring back at him was a boy he had +seen somewhere. The little brown face and the piercing black eyes, +the long hair twisted in a knot with the ends flying loose, were all +strangely familiar. It was--Piang! "Mir-ro," he repeated after the +white man when his scattered wits permitted, and the crowd had ceased +its merriment at his expense. The Moros were more interested in the +knives, tobacco, and strange food that the strangers had brought than +in the red bandana handkerchief and the toy mirror; but Piang longed +to carry the two things that had caught his eye back to his mother, +and he was silently gazing at them when Sicto, attracted by Piang's +admiration, picked the mirror up to look at it. + +Before Piang realized it, Sicto was negotiating with the owner, +offering in trade his brass buyo, or betel-box, used for containing a +preparation of the betel pepper, extensively chewed in the East. Why +had Piang not brought his brass? He would run and fetch it; but the man +would not wait. Just as he saw the things about to pass into the hands +of his rival, he remembered his ring. Attracting the attention of the +trader, he quickly unscrewed the tiny center and proudly displayed a +few glittering flakes; Piang did not know that they were gold dust; +but the trader whistled a low note of surprise and called one of +his shipmates aside. The Moro boy had seen the Japanese trade whole +shiploads of copra for the shiny stuff, so, when he had found some +in the sand one day, he had gathered it. + +When the trader made it clear to Piang that he could have the +treasures for more of the flakes, he was delighted, and without a +moment's delay started off up the trail, not deigning to glance at +the disappointed Sicto. + + + +Up, up, he climbed. Heat, thirst, nothing slackened his pace. Arriving +at his home, he flew to the lake, and, without a word to any one, +jumped into his banco and pushed out into the water. Sweat poured +down his face; mosquitos buzzed around his head: but he had no time +to build a smudge. He must hurry, or the strange boat would leave +the island and take forever the treasures Piang so coveted. + +Soon he struck the current, and when he felt the boat settle into +it he dropped over the side, holding on to the outriggers, and let +the boat pull him through the cool water. He noticed another banco +in the distance and wondered what brought another person out on the +lake in the heat, but the mosquitos occupied all his attention, and +he dived and swam under the water to avoid them, soon forgetting the +other boatman. + +Which stream had he paddled up before, when he had found the bright +sand? He examined the shore carefully as he climbed into the boat. It +must be there. Yes, he remembered the orchids in that tree. Cautiously +he guided the banco to the mouth of the creek, and he shuddered as he +caught sight of a shiny black object slipping into the water. It was +a harmless snake, but Piang did not like snakes and he hurried past +the spot. Gradually he lost sight of the lake and the sun; overhanging +vegetation and fallen trees engulfed him. At times he could not use +his paddle, and cautiously avoiding the thorns and poisoned things, +he pulled the boat along from above. Soon this little stream would +take him into the big river where he had found the pretty sand. + +Piang was startled by a sound behind him. Surely he had heard a +paddle. But all was silence when he paused to listen. When he came +to the river he shouted with delight, for his journey was half over, +and there in the sun sparkled his treasure. Taking his gourd from +the boat, he filled it with sand and then started the long process +of washing it away. Always in the bottom would be left a few of +the bright grains. These he poured on a leaf, but he discovered in +dismay that they stuck there, and when he tried to brush them off, +they sank into the leaf. + +While he was pondering on his predicament he heard the chatter of a +hablar-bird, and he chuckled to himself. He searched his banco for +his bow and arrows, but was astonished to find only the bow. What a +misfortune! He must have lost the arrows on the trail. Nothing daunted, +little Piang set about his task in another manner. Scattering a handful +of parched corn in a clearing, he laid the noose of his rope around +it, and taking the end of it in his hand, silently withdrew into the +thicket and waited. + +Soon the big bird discovered the handy meal and, loudly proclaiming +its rights to possession, flapped its way to the earth and lighted +right in Piang's noose. The hablar-bird fluttered and chattered as it +settled to the task of filling its craw with the good food. Cautiously +Piang watched his chance and, with a deft twitch of the rope, secured +the noose around the bird's foot. Such screaming and flapping! "Now +you be good bird, and I no hurt you," Piang admonished. Catching hold +of the creature behind the head, Piang held it firmly and quickly +plucked three large feathers from its brilliant plumage. He then set +it free and laughed to see it searching for its lost glories. + +Piang would have enjoyed watching it, as it scolded him from a high +limb, but he could not delay and he set about his task quickly. Cutting +off the end of each quill, he scraped it clean inside and washed the +pithy part out. He had seen his father prepare a quill in this way +for packing tobacco-powder. + +When these receptacles were ready to receive the gold-dust, he +began washing the sand again; and when he had secured enough to +fill all three quills he stuck a piece of green banana on the ends +for a stopper. Now he would have the treasures for his mother--that +beautiful cloth and the funny, thin thing that played pranks on you +when you looked into it. + +What was that sound? Surely some one was spying on him. In a +flash he remembered the banco on the lake, the other sounds he had +heard. Also he remembered that Sicto wanted the same treasures that +he coveted. He had been followed by the bully, and now, without his +bow and arrows, he was helpless. To gain the lake again, he must +pass through that treacherous creek, and he knew that Sicto would +think nothing of robbing him and hastening to the village to buy +the treasures with Piang's hard-earned bright sand. Somewhere those +wicked eyes were watching him from the foliage, but Piang bravely +covered his misgivings. + +There were two trails to the village; one lay to the west through +the lake that he had crossed; the other was straight ahead, down the +river. But there were cataracts on this river, and Piang wondered if +he could make his way on foot from the head of the first one to the +right trail. He decided to take the risk and quickly headed his banco +in that direction. As he started down the river, he heard a howl of +rage, and glancing back, saw Sicto preparing to follow. + +So! It was to be a race! Piang had foiled the bully, and his little +heart beat faster as he realized the consequences if Sicto should +catch him. Piang had a good start, but the river was so treacherous, +the eddies so powerful, that sometimes his boat seemed to stand still +or almost turn around when it was caught by the counter-current. How +he loved his slim little craft! Whenever possible, it obeyed his wish, +and he chuckled to see Sicto struggling with his heavy boat. If he +could only reach the first head-water and land on the opposite shore, +he would not fear defeat. For who was more fleet-footed than Piang, +who more able to ferret his way through the almost impenetrable jungle? + +Cautiously he watched the shore; he had been this way only once before, +and wondered if he could remember where the trail began at the water's +edge. The current was so swift here that it was hardly necessary to +paddle at all; so he rested to examine the shore. + +But what was the matter with Sicto? Why had he stopped paddling? In a +flash it came over Piang that the cataract was near, and he started to +back water with all his might. To his horror he found that he could not +control the boat; fight as he would, it paid no heed to his struggle, +but dashed on toward the waterfall. At first Piang thought he would +swim, but realized that he would be swept over just the same. There +was only one thing to be done--he must ride the cataract. Sicto was +left far behind, clinging to the bank, watching with a sneer the boy +going as he thought, to his death. He wondered why Piang was standing +up in the banco; surely it would be best to lie flat in the boat and +cling to the bottom. + +Gracefully Piang poised his body for the dive. The feathers were safely +thrust into his long hair, and his bolo secured in his belt. With hands +outstretched above his head, he waited for the great moment. He knew +that if he was skilful he could clear the dangerous waters below the +falls and either swim to the shore or reach his banco. Faster, faster +went the boat, and his little heart thumped so that he feared it would +burst. He tried to remember that this was not such a dangerous feat; +others had accomplished it, and he could, if he was careful. The drop +was only a few yards, but the danger lay in the shoals at the foot of +the falls. What a beautiful sight Piang was, poised on the brink of +that foaming cataract, the black jungle for a background! As he felt +the banco quiver and twist he prepared for the dive. Finally the boat +reached the crest and, with a lurch, shot from under the boy as he +sprang far out into space. It seemed an eternity to Piang before he +plunged into the waters below; then he sank down, down. The roaring +and thundering deafened him, and he wondered if he should ever stop +tumbling over in the water. It tossed him, tore from his hands any +support he was able to grasp, and finally, after almost depriving +him of breath, left him floating on the surface of a calm pool. How +delicious the rest seemed! How tired he was! As he lay there on his +back, he watched the water pour over the rocks above his head, and +marveled that he had accomplished it all so easily. + +Gradually Piang regained his composure, and his first thought was for +the quills. Yes, they were still safe, and he must hurry. Not fearing +Sicto's interference any more, he began to wonder how he should +find the trail. Searching the river for his banco, he discovered +it caught by some reeds near the shore. It was easy to swim on that +side of the river; so he slowly made his way to the overturned canoe, +deftly righting it, and in a moment was over the side, searching for +the extra paddle he always kept tied in the bottom. Fortunately it +had not been torn away, and avoiding the rapids, he hugged the shore +and finally resumed his journey down the river. + +What a wonderful experience Piang had had! How he would boast of his +bravery, Moro fashion, and maybe the wise men would praise him. As +he paddled down the river he kept his eyes open for trails; and when +he heard the next cataract thundering its menace in the distance, he +decided to land and search the jungle for a path. Beaching his banco, +he hid it in the undergrowth, and, carefully avoiding the stinging +vines, crept into the shadow of the jungle. + +The great silence was everywhere, and Piang wondered if he could +trust his instinct to lead him aright. The heavy vines obstructed his +passage, and he was forced to cut and hew his way through the edge of +the forest. Nature does her best to protect the jungle, for always, on +the edges, bamboo, and _bajuca_ (pronounced bah-hoo-kah) vie with each +other in forming an impenetrable wall; but after the first few yards +the obstinacy of the vines seems to relax, their sentinel duty over. + +Luckily for Piang, the jungle was well supplied with paths here, and +he soon found the one leading down to the barrio. His heart was light, +now, and he threw back his head and shouted with glee as he remembered +Sicto, pale with terror, lest he too be swept over the cataract. Very +quickly his exultation subsided, however, when he realized that Sicto +could easily be on this same trail, and he redoubled his efforts as +he imagined he heard twigs snapping behind him. What if the boat had +already gone. What if its coveted treasures were lost forever? + +From his customary trot Piang broke into a run, and, panting and +sweating, pushed forward. Soon the trail joined the one he had +taken that morning, and in a moment he would come to the clearing +where he had first seen the strange boat. Yes, there it was; +ugly, cross-looking, without one of those bright-patched sails that +decorated all the boats Piang had ever seen. But--was it moving? With +a cry, Piang started forward as the white smoke appeared, and the +shriek echoed and reëchoed through the jungle. Fury, resentment, and +determination flashed across his face; with a howl he darted down the +trail. There was only a little way to go now, and he would run like the +wind. Friends and strangers tried to speak to him as he approached them +on the trail, but he brushed them aside impatiently and rushed onward. + +With his last bit of breath he stumbled through the barrio, but the +boat was steadily moving out to sea. He threw himself on his face and +beat the wharf with his clenched fists. All was lost--the beautiful +"ban-da-na" for his mother, the "mir-ro," too! An exclamation from +one of the men arrested his attention, and he sprang to his feet in +an instant. The boat had stopped; and--could he believe his eyes?--the +man with the treasures was getting into a small skiff and was beckoning +to Piang! + +Quickly the boy responded. Making sure that the precious quills were +safe, he dived into the sea and struck out toward the approaching +boat. When they pulled him over the side, a cheer went up from +the Moros on the bank and was answered by another from the strange +boat. Eagerly Piang searched the boat for the two objects so dear to +his heart, but the trader silently tapped the ring and waited. Slyly +the boy considered. Finally he drew forth one quill and offered +it to the man. He handed Piang the red calico handkerchief, saying +"ban-da-na." Eagerly the boy grabbed it. Guardedly the two contemplated +each other. The trader reached into his pocket and produced the +toy mirror, surrounded by colored pins; Piang offered to trade for +another quill, but the man shook his head. Piang resolutely shook +his, and the owner intimated that the trade was over by slipping +the mirror back into his pocket. Piang could not stand the suspense, +despite his passion for making a good trade, so he thrust the other +quill into the stranger's hand, grasped the treasure, and, saluting +them in his dignified fashion, slipped over the side and was off. + + + +When Sicto slunk into the hill barrio that night he was anxious to +avoid Piang, but our hero was not concerned about him at all. Around +the great fire in the center of the village were seated all the +important members of the tribe, and Sicto's envy was complete when he +saw that Piang's mother was the object of adoration. There she sat, +the coveted "ban-da-na" crowning her stately head, and around her neck +was suspended the funny thing that laughed back at you. Silently she +offered each member of the circle one of the colored pins, and when +all were supplied, they fell to the task of picking their teeth, +at intervals reverently examining the instrument. When the allotted +period had elapsed, Piang's mother again extended the mirror, and +when each one had gazed into the depth, the pin was replaced, later +to be handed on to a new comer. + +Sicto had joined the less fortunate persons who were watching the +ceremony from a distance. Only the elect were permitted to approach +the circle. From his place of honor Piang glanced loftily in their +direction, and as his eyes met Sicto's, his triumph was complete. Under +Piang's steady gaze, the bully quailed and, dropping his eyes, +shambled off into the darkness. + + + + +SIXTH ADVENTURE + +THE JUNGLE MENACE + + +Dato Kali Pandapatan had declared a three days' holiday in honor of +Piang's safe return from his long journey to the haunt of Ganassi, +the wonder man. That one so young had accomplished the difficult task +proved to the tribe conclusively that Piang was indeed the chosen of +Allah, the charm boy by divine right. Kali was glad of the opportunity +to plunge his people into gaieties, for a mysterious shadow had hovered +over the barrio for a week, and he hoped to dispel the effects of a +recent disaster by merriment and fiesta. In the night an infant had +disappeared from its hammock under the mango-tree and no trace of it +had ever been found. The mother, who had been sleeping on the ground +near her babe, told a strange story of being awakened by a suffocating +pressure on her chest; as she stretched out her hand in the dark, +she encountered a cold, clammy mass that moved under her touch. She +must have fainted, for when she was able to scream for assistance, +her baby was gone, and there were no tracks in the sand. The river +was searched, but the crocodile pickets were intact; no monster from +the river had broken through the barriers. + +The ominous whisper, "Bal-Bal," passed from lip to lip. Only that +supernatural jinn could have whisked the infant from their midst; +only Bal-Bal, with his demon body, sailing through the air on +enormous wings, could have descended upon them so silently, so +stealthily. Fearfully the wise men kept watch for the return of +Bal-Bal, whose fateful visits were believed to come in pairs. + +At first the news of the fiesta failed to rouse the people from the +lethargy into which they had sunk, but gradually their pleasure-loving +natures responded, and preparations were begun for the three days' +play. + +"Goody-goody!" exclaimed Papita, the little slave girl, dancing about, +clapping her hands. "We are to have the macasla fiesta, Piang. Just +think, we are to go to the ocean to-morrow!" Piang's newly acquired +dignity would not permit him to respond to Papita's levity, but he +secretly rejoiced, too, over the prospects of fun and excitement at +the macasla. + +Runners were sent into the jungle to procure the all-important +macasla herb, and that night the mixture was prepared. Macasla, +chilli-peppers, carot, and tobah shrub were pounded together in an +old dug-out canoe. Wood-ashes, earth, alcohol, and water were added, +and the mixture was allowed to ferment. Early the next morning nearly +all the inhabitants embarked upon the short journey to Parang-Parang, +their seaport barrio. Every available boat was filled with the merry +throng, and the river sang a soft accompaniment to their chatter; +pet monkeys, parrots, and mongoosen joined in the hubbub, and the +din echoed through the forest, to be taken up by nature's wild +children. Bal-Bal was forgotten, for the moment, by all except the +bereaved parents, who had remained behind with the aged, to mourn +their loss. + +"I see the ocean! Oh, I saw it first!" cried Papita, nearly upsetting +the banco in her glee. "Piang, do stop being so solemn and look--over +there--through the trees!" + +"I saw the ocean long ago, Papita," answered the boy with exaggerated +dignity. + +With a sigh the girl turned away, despairing of drawing him into +sociability. Piang, the playfellow, had vanished, and Piang, the +charm boy, was so superior, so awe-inspiring. Out of the corner of +his eye Piang watched her. He longed to frolic and play, as of old, +but the weight of the tribe was on his young shoulders, and he must +put aside childish things. With folded arms he watched the revelers; +his heart beat violently, but, to the envy and admiration of all, +he retained his dignity and rigidity. + +The travelers gave a shout as they rounded a bend and came upon the +sea. The curving coast line seemed to be ever smiling as the waves +wooed it with cajoling and caressing whispers. + +The tide was on the turn; not a moment was to be lost. Men, women, +and children assembled about the dug-out, carrying wicker baskets +which they filled with the macasla mixture. Scattering quickly along +the extensive shoals, they ran into the water, waist deep, immersing +the baskets, jerking them about until the macasla was all washed out; +slowly they retreated to the shore. Impatiently they waited five, +ten minutes; then things began to happen. Crabs abandoned their holes +and scurried about aimlessly; children, wild with delight, pursued +and captured the bewildered creatures, tossing them into a brass pot +of water over the fire. Small fish came gasping to the top; finally +large ones began to show signs of distress. Screaming and laughing +at the top of their voices, the Moros pursued; the men harpooning +the largest fish, the women skilfully dipping up the smaller ones +with nets. Helplessly the beautiful, rainbow-tinted creatures floated +about, their opalescent hues fading soon after the Moros took them from +the water. Monsters over a yard long fought for their freedom; giant +crabs and shrimp struggled in the nets. A _liendoeng_ (water-snake), +brilliantly striped with red and black, made the women scream with +fright. Dashing among them, laughing and yelling as merrily as the +other boys, Piang pursued the offending reptile, here, there, and +finally grabbed the wriggling creature and ran to the beach. + +"Ah là là là lélé!" he cried, dancing and jumping about, waving the +snake above his head. + +"Oh, goody! Piang has come back to us," cried the delighted +Papita. "You will not frown and scowl again, will you, Piang?" + +A shadow fell upon the manly young brow of Piang. He had transgressed; +he had forgotten his responsibility for the moment and had allowed +his glee to banish the dignity of his calling: Throwing the snake +into the basket, he quietly walked away from the merry-makers. + +Crowds of friendly natives swarmed along the beach, hoping the +kill would be great enough to supply food for all. At other times +the Moros would have preserved any surplus fish, but those caught +under the influence of macasla cannot be cured or dried, as they +soon putrify. The macasla only blinds them temporarily, however, +and those fortunate enough to escape soon recover, suffering no ill +effects. Ten canoes, full of splendid fish, were the reward of the +macasla fiesta. A huge fire was built on the beach, and the small +fish, stuffed into green bamboo joints, were thrown in the ashes; +larger ones were sprinkled with _lombak_ dust (seasoning) and wrapped +in pisang leaves. Weird instruments made their appearance: drums of +bell-metal, jew's-harps of bamboo. The _gansas_, a flute that the +performer plays from one nostril, would have distracted an American's +attention from the music, holding him in suspense, anticipating the +dire consequences of a sneeze. + +Gradually the monotonous music stirred the savages to action. Solemnly +they formed a circle around the fire, arms extended, lightly touching +each other's finger-tips. To and fro they swayed in time to the +crude music, and when the drums thundered out a sonorous crescendo, +they crouched to the earth, springing up in unison, uttering fearful +yells. When the individual dancing commenced, exhausted members began +to fall out, leaving the youth and vigor of the tribe to compete +for the honors. A maiden must prevent a youth from confronting +her; the youth, while attempting to gain his position, must beware +lest the maiden present her back to him. Fast and furiously they +whirled and dodged, and a shout went up from the bystanders as each +unfortunate dancer was compelled to retire. Finally there were only +three contestants left; Papita, Piang, and Sicto. Gracefully the +little slave girl eluded the boys; slyly she circumvented their +attacks. Her little bare feet twinkled daintily about on the sand; +her brass anklets jingled merrily; and the fireflies, confined in +her hair, glowed contentedly. + +Now the hands must be held behind the back at all times during +the dance, and when Sicto, exasperated at the girl's nimbleness, +attempted to grab her, Piang protested loudly. A surly growl was +Sicto's response, and during the hot dispute that followed, as +the dancers swayed and dodged, Papita caught Sicto off his guard, +and to his mortification he found himself contemplating the comely +back of the girl. Over her shoulder she taunted the astonished boy, +and thunderous applause greeted his defeat. Sicto slunk off into the +shadow, muttering maledictions against Piang, whom he blamed primarily +for his downfall. Papita, Piang, which would win? Breathlessly the +audience followed the agile movements of the two; eagerly they claimed +the honors for their favorite. + +The music ceased abruptly. With fear in their hearts and bated breath, +the tribe waited again for the sound that had disturbed their revelry: + +"_Le le, li li._" The tribal call rang through the forest faintly. + +"_Blako ampoen_, Allah," ("I beg for mercy, Allah,") whispered Kali +Pandapatan, supplicatingly. + +The call was repeated, came steadily nearer. Finally from the gloom +of the river shot a banco, a very old man working at the paddle. It +was Pandita Asin from the barrio. + +"_Un-di?_" ("Whither?") called Kali Pandapatan. + +"The barrio--Bal-Bal!" gasped the exhausted old man. + +The night pressed upon them. Up the river darted Asin's slender banco +with Kali Pandapatan and a few picked warriors. + +"Asin, we shall need you, and you, Piang," the chief had said, and +the boy jumped into the boat. Far behind they left the terrified, +confused throng, preparing to embark, and soon the night swallowed +up the little advance party, as it hurried toward the stricken barrio. + +A white mist rose from the water, obscuring the view; a damp breeze +chilled the travelers, and they anxiously scanned the heavens for +Bal-Bal, the terrible. Obstructions in the river were numerous and +dangerous. Once they grazed the side of a floating log; it immediately +turned upon them, emitting blood-curdling bellows through gaping +jaws. Piang's spear silenced the menacing crocodile, and the party +hurried on. A _taloetook_ (owl) wailed his melancholy koekh-koekh, +and the mournful sound seemed to draw the handful of men closer +together. Through the jungle the river wound its serpentine way; dense +growths crowded the bank and leaned far out over the stream. Trailing +vines and hanging ferns brushed the occupants of the canoe, and in +fear they avoided contact with them, so often did their velvety green +conceal wicked thorns and poisonous spines. Fiery eyes dotted the +jungle, stealthily watching for a chance to pounce upon the intruders; +rustling of the rushes warned them of invisible dangers. + +"_Karangan!_" ("Sand-bar!") cried Piang, and just in time the banco +swerved, avoiding the slimy mud that might have held them prisoners, +at the mercy of prowling night terrors. + +A light twinkled in the distance; confused sounds reached the rescuers, +and they pushed forward with renewed energy. + +"Ooooh, Mihing!" called Asin, in his cracked, wavering voice. + +"Ooooh!" came the answer from the barrio. + +"Piang, we look to you to protect us from Bal-Bal, to you and your +sacred anting-anting." Solemnly Kali Pandapatan made this announcement. + +The boy was the first to land. The lame and the halt crowded around +him, imploring him to save them. Confused, Piang wondered what was +expected of him but suddenly he remembered what the great Ganassi +had said: + +"The source of power is faith!" + +His proud little head went up; his brave eyes smiled: + +"Have no fear, my people. Piang, the charm boy, will protect you." + +A startling phenomenon had terrified the barrio. Just at dusk, +old Asin had been squatting in the doorway of his hut, dreamily +watching Papita's little white fawn munching mangos under the fatal +tree, when suddenly he saw it rise, struggle, suspended in the air, +then disappear. Its pathetic cry was heard once, high above their +heads. Then there was silence. The aged populace had been too +frightened to investigate and had hovered around the fire, afraid +to venture beyond its circle of light. Asin had been despatched to +notify the head of the tribe that Bal-Bal was hovering near. + +All eyes turned toward the charm boy. + +"La ilaha illa llahoe," softly prayed Piang, scrutinizing the frowning +jungle, as it closed in on all sides. + +"Kali Pandapatan," finally announced the boy, "it is given that we +act as brave men. If it is Bal-Bal who has been swooping upon us, +have no fear; he can come no more with Piang, the charm boy, prepared +to meet him. If it is something else that is hovering near, we must +go boldly forth and slay our enemy." + +A relieved sigh from the listeners greeted this speech. + +"Bravely spoken, little brother," said Kali Pandapatan. + +Another boat load arrived from the sea, and when the nature of +the calamity had been explained, all volunteered to aid in the +search. Each man bearing a torch, they went in pairs, scattering +through the jungle. At given intervals, Piang who remained in the +barrio at the entreaty of the aged, was to respond to the clan call. + +"Le le li li!" echoed through the somber night, giving courage to the +faint of heart and keeping the searching party's spirits up. Stealthily +the charm boy crept around the edge of the clearing, examining every +possible opening; cautiously he peered into nooks and crannies. + +The mango-tree! What was there about that old jungle veteran that +drew the boy toward it? The babe had disappeared from under its +shelter; the fawn had been whisked from its protection. A cry from +the circle around the fire arrested him as he approached the tree, but +he reassured them, exposing the charm, and bravely went forward. Dew +on the heavy, dark foliage glistened in the firelight, and the golden +fruit peeped forth temptingly. Piang reached up on tiptoe to pluck a +ripe mango, supporting his body against a large vine that hung from the +tree. The vine stirred, trembled, and disappeared. With a low cry the +boy recoiled. The tree was bewitched, was alive. Would its huge limbs +enfold him in its embrace as it had done the other two victims? Piang +was unable to move. Fascinated, he stared wide-eyed at the tree +with its wealth of parasite life sapping its vitality. Trailing +orchids and tree-ferns festooned its limbs; _liana_ and _bajuca_ +vines smothered it in death-like embrace. Coil upon coil of these +serpent-like jungle creepers, ignoring or circumventing the smudge +platform halfway up the trunk, ascended to the tree's very crest, +only to return, dangling and swinging like the ragged draperies of +a slattern, reaching out tenacious arms in search of new support. + +At any moment Piang expected to be seized by this supernatural +monster, and yet he could not cry out or move. Where did it hide +its victims? Did it inhale life or suck it into its trunk? Scarcely +realizing what he was doing, the boy focused his gaze upon two dazzling +points of light that gradually came nearer, nearer. A peacefulness +came over him, and he wondered why he had been so terrified a moment +before. Slowly a numbness crept up his limbs; a giddiness attacked +him. On came the hypnotic, icy lights, until they were within a few +feet of his face. + +"Le le li li!" crashed through the stillness. With the dim past Piang +connected the disturbing sounds. The gleaming lights were beautiful, +compelling. + +"Le le li li!" A memory of some duty faintly stirred Piang's +subconsciousness, and his senses tried to respond to the call. Bright +and intense grew the twin fires. One instant they seemed as minute +as fireflies, the next as large as moons. Yes, the tree was alive; +it was moving. A giant creeper was swaying toward him, would grasp +him in its toils. + +"Le le li li!" persistently the call was repeated. "Le le li li!" A +duty! What was it? Charm boy? Who was charm boy? Involuntarily Piang's +hand sought the charm on his breast and grasped it. He was saved! With +a shriek he darted back just in time. The vine lunged out, quivered, +and recoiled. + +Asin, who had been curiously watching Piang for some time, rushed +toward him and caught the fainting boy in his arms. + + + +Quietly Piang gave his orders; unquestioningly he was obeyed. After his +mishap he had not regained consciousness for two days, and during his +illness he had prated senselessly about trees that were alive and vines +that had eyes, much to the disturbance of Kali Pandapatan and Asin. But +when he whispered his suspicions to his chief, Kali gave a low whistle. + +Asin and Tooloowee were taken into the secret, and they set to work +to develop Piang's plan. A wild boar, which had been captured for +crocodile bait, was fastened to a pole in the middle of the _campong_ +(clearing). Around it was built a bamboo pen, opened at one end, from +which extended a low, fenced-in lane about forty feet long. Arranged +in this lane, at intervals, were slip nooses of ratan, which, rising +above the structure, looked like skeleton arches. + +Impatiently the Moros waited for night; fearfully they watched the +mango-tree. There was no tom-tom serenade such as usually heralds +the coming of night; no fires were lighted; the evening meal was +forgotten. An ominous silence pervaded the barrio. + +Night came--soft, fragrant night, with its thousand wonders. The +inquisitive moon peeped over the palm fronds, peeped again, and +decided to remain. Papita, her anklets and bangles clinking dully, +moved listlessly about, sorrowing for her lost pet; Sicto followed +her persistently, annoying her with his attentions. The sulky mestizo +took pleasure in provoking the little girl, for was she not Piang's +favorite, and was not Piang his enemy? He moodily contemplated the +charm boy at work on the silly-looking structure that he was not +allowed to approach. + +When it was finished, Kali Pandapatan ordered every one to go to +their homes, to lock and bar the doors, and, under pain of his +displeasure, to make no sound. The death-like stillness was fraught +with tension. From the window in the nearest house, Piang kept +watch with Kali, Asin, and Tooloowee; in his hand he held the ratan +cable that controlled the nooses in the narrow lane. Minutes, hours +trailed by, and still the barrio watched. A gentle wind awakened the +forest whispers and gathered its freight of seed and pollen to scatter +abroad. The prisoner in the deserted campong protested and struggled, +its ugly grunts disturbing the jungle peace. Dull clouds obscured the +moon, and for a long time the barrio was in darkness. When the light +burst suddenly upon them, the Moros started from their drowsiness +and gazed with awe on the swaying, shuddering mango-tree. Not a leaf +was stirring on the surrounding trees, but the mango rustled and +trembled ominously. + +"See, Kali! I was right!" whispered Piang. No superstitious horror +pervaded the hut where the four men watched, but in every other house +Moros fell upon their faces, beseeching Allah to protect them from +Bal-Bal. The capricious moon plunged into a shadowy cloud again. The +next flood of light disclosed a vision so horrible that even Kali and +his brave followers stiffened with fear. Out of the mango-tree a black, +writhing mass crept toward the terrified squealing boar. Unfolding +length after length, the thing advanced, until nearly thirty feet +of sinuous, undulating life stretched between the mango tree and +the boar's cage. Papita, sickened with fear, buried her face in her +mother's bosom, weeping hysterically; Sicto, pale and trembling, +grasped the window for support. + +"_Ular-Sawa!_" ("Giant python!") he gasped, hastily closing the +window. A little captive monkey whined pitifully. + +The massive creature, distracted by the sound, paused, head up, +forked tongue darting in and out of the open jaws, for the Regal +Python has no ears, but hears with its tongue. That delicate nerve +center registers sounds by vibration, and when a python is eager to +listen, it extends its black, forked tongue. + +"Oh, will it go into the trap?" breathed Piang. The boar, watching +its fate, squealed, and the python advanced. Missing the easy lane, +it approached the cage from the side, and tried to batter it down +with its powerful head. Failing in this, it attempted to slip over +the fence, but the pickets had been sharpened to prevent this, and +finally it discovered the opening. + +Seeming to disapprove of the symmetrical structure, it hesitated to +thrust its enormous length into the strange-looking thing. The Moros +were fearful lest the creature escape and continue to overshadow their +barrio. Once the python seemed about to retreat, but at that moment +the boar struggled so desperately that the python's natural instinct +prevailed, and without a moment's hesitation, it writhed into the lane, +past the first loop, past the second, until it reached the cage. + +"Now, Piang, now!" softly whispered Kali. Calculating the distance, +Piang jerked the ratan cable, and the noose tightened around the +snake's throat. + +In a moment the fence was lashed to pieces, and the pickets were flying +about like so many chips, as the serpent fought and struggled. Piang +and his helpers secured the cable to a post and rushed into the +campong. Catching hold of the other cables, they pulled them tighter +and tighter until the snake was unable to move. + +The clouds were heavy and the moon shone fitfully. + +"Torches!" yelled Kali, and the women scurried about in search +of them. Piang and Tooloowee cautiously approached the monster's +head, holding on a stick some cotton soaked with poison. Savagely +the python bit at the extended stick, and the cotton caught on the +long recurved teeth. Try as it would, it could not get rid of its +mouthful. The Moros congratulated themselves, thinking the danger +past, little knowing what the fatal consequences would be. Under the +stimulus of the poison the python began to expand, until the loops +of ratan creaked and snapped. The snake did not plunge or struggle, +but quietly, steadily pulled. That python broke green ratan thongs +half an inch in diameter, and soon twisted out of all its fastenings +except the one about its neck. Catching hold of the mango-tree with its +tail, it pulled until its eyes bulged from the sockets, but the ratan +held. Releasing its hold on the tree, it flopped about the campong, +pulling and straining at the cable. + +Finally it lay perfectly still, its dull, lidless eyes rolling +upward. Without any warning, its lithe tail shot outward, swept the +crowd of bystanders, and those fatal, living rings closed around Sicto, +compressing the unfortunate boy with such force that he gasped for +breath. Without a thought for the helpless boy, the women dropped +the torches and fled screaming through the night, leaving the campong +in darkness. + +Only Piang came to the none too popular mestizo's assistance. He hurled +himself at the reptile's head, campilan raised to strike, but instead +of falling upon the mark, his knife severed the one remaining cable +and set the monster free. Perceiving its new antagonist, and feeling +its freedom, the snake rapidly unwound its tail from Sicto, who fell to +the ground with a dull thud. Darting forward with lightening rapidity, +it caught Piang in its circular embrace, and, coiling its tail around +the tree, flattened the boy against it, as if in a mill. Tighter, +closer hugged those massive, chilling rings, but Piang fought bravely. + +"A light! a light!" screamed Tooloowee, as he dragged the insensible +Sicto away, and, out of a nearby hut dashed a slender, graceful figure +in response to the call, a fresh torch streaming its smoke and sparks +around her head. + +"Quick, Papita," urged Tooloowee, and the girl came fearlessly to +the aid of Piang. + +"Piang!" she wailed. "Why didn't you let it have Sicto!" Her +voice seemed to put new life into the suffocating boy. With one +supreme effort Piang managed to loosen his arm and struck once, +twice. The python, now bleeding profusely, hissed and writhed, still +tightening around the boy. Once again Piang thrust, at last reaching +the creature's heart. The rings loosened, relaxed, and Tooloowee's +well-aimed blow severed the awful head, which bounced and rolled to +Papita's feet. + + + +When they carried the limp, lacerated body of Piang to his hut, +there was lamenting and weeping in the barrio. Piang, their beloved +charm boy was dead. A mournful _tilick_ (death signal) was sounded +on the tom-toms, and the wail soon gathered volume until the jungle +and river seemed to take up the plaint. + +Dead? Could Piang, the invincible, be killed? Papita crouched in the +doorway. Kali Pandapatan bent over the still little form. Anxiously +he watched the eyelids quiver, the lips part. A sigh of relief broke +from the chief, and he murmured softly: + +"Little brother, you have the strength of a packda; the cunning of +the civet-cat, and the wisdom of the mina-bird. May your days be long." + +A knowing smile flitted across Kali's face as he caught the irrelevant +reply: + +"Papita--is she safe?" + + + + +SEVENTH ADVENTURE + +THE SECRET OF THE SOURCE + + +There had been a great drought. Plague was sure to follow such +weather, and the Moros were already dying of starvation. "Rice, +rice!" was the cry, but everywhere the crop had failed, and the +natives were desperate. + +Piang had been more successful in foraging than the other lads had, +and his mother was safe for a time, but there seemed to be no hope, +and he sorrowed as he pictured her dying for want of the food that +it was his business to provide for her. + +In the stifling heat of midday, the village was startled by the +appearance of several white men on the biggest animals they had ever +seen. Tiny ponies, straying about the village, fled to cover at sight +of the strange creatures, and most of the women hid themselves in +fright. The Moro men sullenly watched the strangers advance, making +no attempt to stop them, but there was no mistaking their hostile +attitude. + +"Where is the dato?" asked the interpreter, who rode in ahead of the +men. There was no answer. + +"Come, where is the chief? The white men bring good news; they +bring food." + +Instantly there was a change. Kali Pandapatan stepped in front of +the others and said in his musical patois: + +"I am Dato Kali Pandapatan. Speak. Do not deceive us." + +A lengthy conversation followed, and while the two men were arguing +and gesticulating, the strangers gradually coaxed some of the children +toward them. Finally the women sidled nearer, and soon the entire +population had hedged the little company in, and were gazing with +awe at the huge American horses with their odd trappings. One mare +stamped her foot and neighed loudly, scattering the spectators in +every direction, greatly to the amusement of the white men. + +It was all very hard for the dato to understand. He explained to his +people that some great power had sent the white men to save them from +starvation. The interpreter had told him that the Moros all belonged +now to some nation called the United States. A fierce murmur rippled +through the crowd at this piece of news. The dato raised his hand +for quiet. + +"Let us hear them through. We are hungry; let them feed us. We will +fight for our freedom later, if necessary." + +Haughtily Dato Kali Pandapatan faced the newcomers and bade them +speak. The interpreter explained that the men were United States +soldiers, and that their chief had commanded them to search the +islands for starving Moros and to relieve their suffering. The crafty +dato pondered long before he accepted their offer, all the while +watching for an attack. It was impossible for him to believe their +generosity could be genuine, so used was he to the treachery of Spanish +strangers. When the pack-train loaded with supplies appeared at the +head of the steep mountain pass, a cry went up from the hungry people, +and a rush was made toward it. When the supplies had been portioned +out to each family, and suspicion banished from the minds of the +natives, the "Americanos" were hailed as their saviors. Lieutenant +Lewis, in charge of the expedition, was offered every courtesy, and +the soldiers were showered with gifts of brass and trinkets. Dato +Kali Pandapatan vowed his allegiance to the soldiers and offered the +services of his tribe. + +"Ask the dato if he has heard of the mysterious rice that has been +found on Lake Lanao, Ricardo," said Lieutenant Lewis. + +The interpreter addressed the dato and learned that it was a well +known fact that rice had appeared on the surface of the lake from +no apparent source. As it had never been grown in that district, +the authorities were puzzled over the persistent rumors. If it could +be cultivated there, it might be possible to supply the tribes with +enough to avoid these frequent famines. + +"He says he is not sure, sir, but travelers from that section all +bring the same tales of gathering rice in an eddy at one corner of the +lake. The tribes are very fierce around there, and as they will not +tolerate interference from strangers, no one has dared to investigate." + +"I can easily believe it. General Bushing's expedition through that +country met with fearful opposition. It's a wonder to me that so +many of them came out alive." The lieutenant was silent for a time, +then said: + +"Ask him if he has a swift runner, some one that he can trust." + +Ricardo questioned the chief. + +"Yes, sir, he says there is a boy named Piang, who is fleeter than +the wind, surer than the sun." + +"Ask him if he will send this boy for me to the lake to search out +the truth about this rice. Offer him fifty bushels of corn for the +lad's family and tell him I will send him twenty-five bushels whether +he is successful or not." + +"Piang! Piang!" the name was on every one's lips. From out the crowd +stepped a slender faun of a youth, slim and supple as a reed. The +gaily-colored breech-cloth wound about his loins supported his bolo +and small knives, and in his tightly knotted long hair, glistened +a creese. With silent dignity he awaited his orders. No curiosity +manifested itself in his face; no question was on his lips; he simply +waited. Lieutenant Lewis marveled at the boy's indifference, but +when the mission was explained to Piang, the light that sparkled in +his eyes and the expressions of excitement and joy that chased each +other across his face removed all doubt from the lieutenant's mind. + +Piang was chosen! Piang was to ferret out the secret of the lake! Piang +was to bring honor to his tribe! When it was explained to him that +his mother would be provided for, he abruptly turned from the dato +and dashed off to his hut to procure weapons and scanty provisions. A +silence held the natives as they waited for Piang to reappear. They +all seemed to sense the dangers that were confronting the boy so +eager to undertake the task. Hardly ten minutes had elapsed before +he was in their midst again. He salaamed before the dato and, without +a glance at the others, bounded up the trail, away into the jungle. + +"But," protested the lieutenant, "no one has given him any orders, +any directions." The interpreter conveyed the American's misgivings +to the dato. A smile broke over his face. + +"Piang needs no directions, no advice. No jungle is too thick for him +to penetrate, no water deep enough to hide its secrets from him. Piang +will bring you news of the rice. I have spoken." + +"And to think of the fuss it takes to get a few dough-boys ready for +a hike!" exclaimed the amazed lieutenant. + + + +The jungle was terrible. Everywhere Piang came across victims of +the drought. Little monkeys, huddled together, cried like babies; +big birds, perched on the sun-scorched trees, were motionless. He +stumbled over something soft. Always on the alert, his bolo was ready +in an instant, but there was no need for it. He looked down into the +dying eyes of a little musk-deer. Pity and misgiving filled his heart, +and he wondered if he would be able to reach the Big Pass before he +starved. Surely, up there it would be different; they always had rain, +and if he could only hold out.... A snuff-like dust constantly rose +from the decayed vegetation; it pained his nostrils, and he muffled +his face in his head-cloth as he penetrated deeper into the jungle. He +must reach a clearing before night; it would mean almost certain death +to sleep in the jungle's poisonous atmosphere. There was a good spot +further up, and he worked his way toward it, determined to reach it +for his first night. The liana-vine that he cut for water was dry. He +listened for the trickle of a brook. The jungle is usually full of +little streams, but no sound rewarded his vigilance. Stumbling along, +he began to think his journey would end there, when he was startled by +loud chattering. A monkey settlement was evidently near, and he knew +by their liveliness that they were not famishing for water. Spurred +on by hope, he redoubled his efforts and was rewarded by the sight +of a cocoanut grove in a clearing. + +There was a general protest from the inhabitants as he made his +appearance, but he paid no attention to the monkey insults hurled at +him and gratefully picked up the cocoanuts with which they bombarded +him. Shaking each one, he tossed it from him. They were all dry. The +monkeys were too clever to waste any nuts that had milk in them. Piang +tied his feet together loosely with his head-cloth, and, using it as +a brace, hopped up one of the trees as easily as a monkey. Sitting +in the branches, he drained one cocoanut after another, and when his +thirst was slaked, he amused himself by returning the bombardment. He +was surrounded by monkey snipers and he laughingly rubbed his head +where one of their shots had struck home. With careful aim he showered +the trees, and gradually the monkeys began to disperse. He had won; +the fun was over. He watched them scold and fuss as they retreated +into the jungle, regretting that he had not kept them with him a +little longer for company. + +The big sun was dipping into the trees now, and he descended to gather +material for his bed. High up in the cocoanut-tree Piang built his +couch. He selected two trees that were close together, and, cutting +strips of ratan, bound stalks of bamboo together making a platform +which he lashed to the trees, far out of reach of night prowlers. He +dipped into his scanty provisions, and then, scrambling to his nest, +covered himself with palm branches, which afford warmth as well +as protection from the unhealthy dew. Quickly Piang sank into an +untroubled slumber. All night long creatures fought below him for the +few remaining drops of moisture in the discarded shells, but he knew +that he was safe, and their snarls and bickerings did not alarm him. + + + +Piang started guiltily. He must have overslept. The sun was high, but +for some reason the heat had not awakened him. Sitting up, he rubbed +his eyes, sniffed the air, and uttered a shout of joy. A gentle rain +was trickling through the foliage; the spell was broken; the jungle +would live again. After hastily gathering a few nuts he climbed down +the tree and prepared for his journey, thankful that the drought +was to be broken by the gentle "liquid sunshine," as it is called, +instead of by a violent typhoon. Eating what he wanted of the soft, +green cocoanut meat, he tied two nuts to the ends of a ratan strip, +and, slinging them across his shoulder, was off again, darting here +and there to avoid the stinging vines and treacherous pitfalls. + +How many days was he from Lake Lanao? He counted the suns that must +rise and set before he should arrive. There were four, if he should be +fortunate enough to find the Ganassi trail. Piang had not lost time by +returning to the coast to pick up the trail, but had trusted to his +instinct to lead him aright. Surely, if he followed the sun by day, +and the big bright evening star by night, he would come upon the +trail the second day. He must avoid the lake people at all costs; +they were not to be trusted, and his life would pay the penalty if +they caught him spying. Silently the jungle child sped along. Nothing +escaped his watchful eye; no sound eluded his trained ear. Once he +darted aside just in time to escape the toils of the dread python as +it swooped from above to claim its victim. Another time his bolo saved +him, and a wild civet-cat lay at his feet. Chuckling at his prowess, +Piang drew his knife across the animal's belly, and slipped off the +skin, almost whole. It would be useful to him, and maybe he could +find the herb that is used to cure pelts. + +It was very difficult traveling. The sun was not visible during the +afternoon, and Piang lost his direction. Blundering here and there, +he often came back to the same place. It was no use; he could not find +the trail without the assistance of sun or stars. Sometimes it was +days before either could penetrate the dense mist that accompanies +the tropical rains. Discouraged, he threw himself on the ground. + +An unusual sound made him jerk his head up to listen. It came again, +and the boy rose quietly to his feet, focusing his senses on the +sound. Cautiously he advanced toward it. In the jungle it is always +wiser to be the one to attack. The sound was repeated, and Piang +breathed easier. It was made by an animal, not by his dread lake +enemies. Gradually he crept nearer and when he parted the bushes and +peeped through, he almost shouted in his excitement. He had reached +the Big Pass. A broad river swept rapidly by, and along the banks +wild carabao rolled and splashed, making queer diminutive sounds, not +in keeping with their ungainly size. Piang was careful to keep out +of sight, as they are apt to be dangerous when their very uncertain +nerves are startled. + +For more than two days Piang fought his way through the entanglement +of cogon grass and vicious vines, cutting and hewing his way, +afraid to cross the river and follow the Ganassi trail. Finally, +one rosy dawn, he came upon the lake as it sparkled and shimmered in +the early light. The boy held his breath, delighted with the beauty +of the view. Far in the distance mountains rose in a blue and purple +haze. The lake was nestled in the heart of them, fed by many clear +brooks and springs. Its bed had once been the crater of an active +volcano, but Piang did not know this. + +From his retreat, built high among the dense trees, Piang watched +the lake people ply their way to and fro across the water. Somewhere +on that lake was the secret of the floating rice, and the boy was +determined to discover the truth. He hid before dawn at the water's +edge near a spot that he had noticed was much frequented. As usual, +a swarm of natives visited it about noon. Piang watched them dip +up gourds and cocoanut-shell cups full of water. They strained it +through cloths, repeating and repeating the action. He was sure it was +the coveted rice that they were gathering and he impatiently waited +for them to go; no sooner had they departed, however, than others +arrived to take up the task. There was nothing to do, but wait again +for dawn, and Piang wriggled himself back to his grove and mounted +his platform home. + +He was very restless all night and hardly slept at all, so anxious +was he for the first streaks of light. As he lay with eyes upturned, +he watched the stars grow dim: before they had entirely disappeared, +Piang was standing by the water ready for the dive. His bolo was slung +at his side, and in his mouth he carried a smaller knife. One never +knows what one may meet at the bottom of an unknown lake, and Piang +was prepared for any emergency. + +At last it was light, at last he could see into the clear +lake. Climbing out on the rocks as far as he could, he let himself +down into the cool water. How he rejoiced at the feel of it and how +easily he slipped along toward the spot where he had watched the +natives the day before! + +He looked for signs of rice. Seaweed tricked him; bubbles vanished +and he reached to grasp them. Round and round he swam, and finally +his hands closed over something small and slippery. Breathlessly he +fingered it, and opening his hand as he trod water, he beheld the +mushy rice grains. + +Taking a long survey, he assured himself that there was no one in +sight. Yesterday the Moros had not come before noon; and if he worked +quickly, he might discover the secret to-day. Taking a long breath, +Piang dived straight down and, swimming along the bottom, examined +the rocks carefully; but he came back to the surface none the wiser +for his plunge. A puzzled look puckered his face. Tilting his head +to one side, he considered. That was surely rice; it did not grow +here, so it must come from under the water. Again he dived, but this +time he swam nearer the surface and he saw that there was more rice +floating by than he had imagined. It was not coming from the bottom, +it was drifting from the center of the lake! + +Excitedly he headed in that direction, swimming under water whenever +he lost the trail of the rice. It was not strange that it only came +to the top in that one spot. There was a strong current that bore it +upward, whirling it in an eddy before it sank to the bottom. Farther, +farther he went, always swimming toward the center of the lake; +and as he went, the rice grew thicker. Eagerly he plunged forward, +keeping his eyes open, watching the rice. + +He stopped. What was that dark object resting on the bottom? He +did not know how exhausted he was until he paused for breath; then, +knowing that his next dive would take him far down, he rolled over on +his back and floated quietly. Burning with curiosity, he could hardly +wait to see what was there. Slowly he swam downward. Something warned +him to be more careful, and afterward he was grateful for his caution, +for had he plunged recklessly to the bottom, in all probability in +would have been his last dive. + +He was aware of a large body moving near him and he dodged just in time +to avoid a collision, striking out for the surface. Lying flat on the +water, he peered into the depth and discovered several dark things +swimming about. Frightened at first, he remembered that sharks and +crocodiles do not live in mountain lakes. Bravely he descended, but +this time he swam with his bolo in his hand. Down, down, and again he +saw the queer, square things flopping about. They were huge tortoises, +clustered around a darker object at the very bottom of the lake. Once +more Piang came to the top. He was not afraid now; tortoises do not +fight unless attacked, and the boy could easily outswim any of the +clumsy creatures. But what were they doing out there in the middle of +the lake? Tortoises live near shoals and feed on fungi and roots. As +he plunged down once more, he was met by a strong up-current and had to +fight his way through. Tiny particles stung him as they rushed by, and +it seemed to him that millions of fish were darting here and there, +snapping at something. It was rice. Gradually it dawned on Piang +that he had reached his goal; the tortoise had reached it first, +and the secret lay hidden in that dark thing at the bottom. + +Frantically, but steadily, he worked his way down, avoiding weeds and +driftwood. The water grew calmer as he neared the bottom, the rush of +the current less. His breath was almost gone; he could hardly stand +it a few seconds longer, but he must see what it was there. With one +supreme effort, he struggled and reached the hard sand of the lake +floor. A trifle dazed, he looked about, and there, towering above him, +was a ship. + +Piang was almost unconscious when he reached the air. Had he +been dreaming? How could a ship be resting on the bottom of Lake +Lanao? Restraining his curiosity, he forced himself to rest. Lying on +his back again, he took long regular breaths until he was entirely +rested. Slowly he descended and, avoiding contact with the loggy +tortoise, circled around the dark thing. Yes, it was a boat. Piang +had seen only one other boat like it in his life. It was only about +thirty-five feet long, but to the boy it seemed to rise above him +like a mountain. Fascinated, he sank lower until he was standing on +the deck. The tortoises and fish paid no attention to him, and he +examined it carefully. The big tube, sticking up in its middle Piang +recognized as the thing that belches smoke, and along the sides, +covered with slime and weeds, were small black objects. He had heard +that these boats hurl "hot-spit" into the jungle when they are angry, +and he supposed it must come from these ugly things. All this occupied +only a few seconds, but to Piang it seemed like years. Making a hasty +ascent, he again filled his lungs and prepared to explore farther. As +he worked his way back, he crossed the current that was bearing the +rice to the surface and remembered his mission. Following the milky +trail, he arrived at the stern of the boat and shuddered to see the +mass of animal life clustered there. Worming his way alongside, he +frightened the swarming creatures, and they scattered, leaving him a +clear view of the boat. Only one old tortoise refused to be disturbed, +and Piang watched it pull and bite at something. He was very close +to it, when suddenly something blinded him. He put out his hands to +ward it off, but the rush increased, and when he found his way to the +top his hands were full of soggy rice. The old tortoise had torn the +end of a rice-sack, and the contents were being whirled upward. + +As the boy lay on the water, reviewing his remarkable discovery, +his strength almost exhausted, he was startled into the realization +of a new danger. Quickly he dived, but not before a man in a vinta, +headed that way, had seen him. Piang was caught. In his excitement +he had failed to watch for the coming of his enemies, and now he +must fight. Swiftly the vinta approached. Piang could see it through +the water and he watched until it was over his head. With a lunge, +he struck at it with all his might, upsetting it and throwing the +occupant out. With a yell the man grabbed Piang, and the startled boy +recognized his old enemy, Sicto, the outcast, who drifted from tribe +to tribe, a parasite on all who would tolerate him. He was making +his home with the lake people just now and had discovered Piang's +hiding-place. Guessing that the boy was after the secret of the rice, +he had watched his chance and had pounced on him when he was least +able to protect himself. + +Over and over they rolled, splashing and fighting. Piang was struggling +for breath, but luckily he still had his bolo in his hand. The big +bully was sure to win the fight unless Piang could escape soon, as +he was already winded and exhausted. A happy thought flashed through +Piang's mind. He watched for one of the tortoises to swim near the +surface, and then shrieking "Crocodile," he pointed toward it. When +the frightened Sicto shrank from the tortoise, Piang struck with all +his might, but he was so weak and his knife was so heavy that he only +stunned his adversary. + +Then he was away like a flash. Before the bully could recover, Piang +had righted the vinta and was paddling off in the direction of the +river. Sicto tried to follow him, but Piang only laughed and paddled +faster. He was free again; he had a boat, and knew the secret of the +rice. Allah was indeed good to little Piang. + +Rapidly he plied his paddle. The current was against him as he headed +for the mouth of the river, but he worked steadily and soon lost +sight of the infuriated Sicto. + +He paused. Coming out of the river was a flotilla of boats. They were +the usual rice-fishers, and he must pass them to gain the outlet. What +if they called to him? He could not speak their dialect, and they +would surely recognize Sicto's boat. He did not think they had seen +him, so he changed his course to the east-ward and slowly paddled in +that direction. They soon passed behind him, paying no attention to +the solitary boatman, and he thankfully headed toward the river. As +soon as the men reached Sicto, he would tell them of the fight, and +they would give chase. Piang's chances of escape were indeed slim, +but he had a little start. + +Stubbornly he fought the current; patiently he worked against the +swift water. At last he was in the river, but he knew that by this +time the Moros were in pursuit. That they did not appear in the river +behind him was no reason to feel safe. He was sure they would try to +head him off by land, as the river wound round and round through the +valleys. The odds were certainly against Piang. He was in a strange +country, unfamiliar with the trails and hunted by the swiftest tribe +of Moros. The Ganassi trail was out of the question. It would be +lined with the lake people watching for him. The jungle, which he +had worked his way through, would be searched, and his recent camping +site discovered. Every passable trail to his home would be watched. + +Suddenly Piang remembered the "Americano" soldiers. They +lived somewhere off in the other direction, beyond the terrible +marshlands. Without a moment's hesitation, he headed toward the shore, +pulled up the vinta, and secured it. He then plunged into the stream +and swam to the opposite shore. When the lake people found the vinta, +they would search that side of the jungle. Piang was pleased at +his ruse. + +Bravely the boy faced his only avenue of escape. The journey through +the marshlands and over the mountains was considered impossible, +but Piang was not discouraged. Searching the surrounding jungle, he +made sure that he had not been discovered, and, turning his back on +his home as well as on his enemies, headed toward the distant peaks, +the Dos Hermanas. + + + +"Halt!" The sentry on Post No. 4 wheeled and took aim. There was +another rustle in the bushes. "Halt!" came the second warning. Luckily +the man was an old soldier, whose nerves were well seasoned. There +would be only one more warning; the bullet would come then. Tensely +the sentry listened. In the jungle one does not wait long out of +curiosity. Just as he was about to utter his ultimatum and emphasize +it with lead, a slender form tottered through the bushes and fell to +the ground. + +"Sure, an' he 's a-playin' dead. None of that game for yer Uncle +Dudley." The Irishman, coming to port arms, sang out: + +"Corporal of the guard. Number Four!" Never taking his eyes off the +still form, he waited. + +"What's up?" called the corporal, as he came running up the trail +with his squad. + +"Suspicious greaser!" The sentry pointed at the prostrate +form. Cautiously they approached it. Too many times their humane +sympathy had been rewarded by treachery. The native did not stir. One +of the guard poked him with his foot. There was no resistance. + +"Guess he's all in, all right," announced the corporal. "Heave him +up. Never mind the leeches; they won't hurt you." The boy was lifted +to the top of a woodpile. He bore the marks of the jungle. His hands +and feet were scratched and torn by thorns, some of which still showed +in the flesh. His ribs showed plainly through the tightly pulled skin, +and leeches clung to him, sucking the blood from his tired body. The +long hair had been jerked from its customary chignon, and was hanging +loose around his head. His thin arms hung listlessly at his side. + +"Gosh, he needs a wash bad enough. Must have been starving, too." With +his bayonet the corporal removed the black hair from the face. Uttering +an exclamation, he bent over the boy. + +"Well, I'll be dinged! This is the kid Lieutenant Lewis sent up to the +lake! How in tarnation did he get to us from this direction?" The men +silently exchanged glances, all remembering their fruitless attempts +to make a trail over the Dos Hermanas. Forcing water between the +parched lips, the corporal gently shook Piang. The boy opened his +eyes and shuddered. + +"You're all right now, little 'un," the corporal said, and although +Piang did not understand the language, he responded to the kind tone +with a weak smile. Slowly getting to his elbow, he motioned toward +the garrison: + +"_Hombre!_" ("Man!") he muttered. It was the only Spanish word he knew, +and the soldiers guessed that he wanted Lieutenant Lewis. + +"Give him a lift, boys," said the corporal and set the example by +helping Piang to stand. + + + +"Why, the boy's story is incredible, Lewis. It is simply impossible +that a gunboat could be at the bottom of Lake Lanao," General +Beech protested as he walked to and fro in front of his desk in the +administration building. + +"If you will search the records at headquarters, sir, I think you +will find mention of three gunboats that were shipped to this island +by the Spanish government and disappeared mysteriously on the eve of +our occupancy." + +And so it turned out. Inquiries among the older natives of the barrio +brought confirmation of the report, and weird tales of transporting +the diminutive gunboats in sections over the mountain passes began +to float about. Finally General Beech was convinced and gave the +necessary orders to equip and send an investigating party to the +lake. Piang was to be the guide. + +The transport _Seward_ carried the troops around to Iligan, and the +struggle up the mountain trail to Lake Lanao began. + +Sicto was the first to give warning of the approach. He came upon the +party one morning as they were breaking camp near the Marie Christina +falls and immediately dashed off to Marahui. + +"The white devils are coming," he shrieked. "Piang, the traitor, +is leading them to us!" + +Dato Grande assembled his council, and they awaited the coming +of the soldiers with misgivings. They had good reason to fear the +Americans. General Bushing had swept that district in his marvelous +campaign, and there was many a cripple among the lake people to +testify to the accuracy of his marksmen. But they were relieved by +the appearance of Ricardo, the interpreter, who explained to the dato +that the troops were not hostile, but had come to make friends with +the Moros. + +Proudly Piang swung along at the head of the column, guiding them +to his recent platform home. Camp was pitched on the shore, and the +engineers commenced work at once. The boy impatiently waited for +the divers to fix their cumbersome suits, and when all was ready, +he plunged into the water and disappeared from view. The grotesque +figures floating down with him made Piang want to laugh. They looked +like huge devil-fish, and he wondered how they could stand the clumsy +dress. After he had led the men to the boat he came to the top and +swam with eyes down. If there were more boats, he wanted to find them +first. The men on the bank were watching his agile movements with +interest. With a shout he disappeared again. Yes, yes, there was a +second boat. And as he circled the sunken craft he spied another near +it. Striking out for the shore, he swam to where the general and the +lieutenant were waiting. + +"What is he chattering about, Ricardo?" asked the general. + +"He says he has seen the other two boats, sir." + +"This is certainly a fortunate discovery, Lewis. I shall make a +report to Washington on the matter, and you shall be commended for +your sagacity." + +The young officer flushed with pleasure, but replied: + +"Thank you, sir, but I think the boy Piang deserves all the credit." + +It was many days before the task was completed. The rice had remained +a mystery to the last, and the officers puzzled over the fact that it +had not rotted entirely. The first report from the divers confirmed +the rumor that the boats had been scuttled, presumably to prevent +the Americans from capturing them. They had all been loaded with +rice packed in sacks, and secured in tin-lined boxes. Until recently +it had been protected from the water, but something heavy from above +had fallen on them, crushing the outside coverings. The tortoise had +done the rest. + +Another surprise awaited the troops. A diver brought up a handful of +Krag cartridges. + +"This _is_ a mystery," said Lieutenant Lewis. "The Spanish never used +Krags; we were the first to bring them to this part of the world, +weren't we?" + +A shadow crossed General Beech's face. Quietly he ordered the divers to +search for more ammunition. Silently they waited, and Lewis wondered +what had brought the sad expression to his chief's face. When the +divers brought up a wooden box half filled with cartridges, the two +officers bent over it; on one side, branded in the wood, was plainly +visible: + +"Depot Quartermaster, San Francisco, Cal." + +"I thought so," murmured the general. + +"Well, what do you know about that!" exclaimed Lewis. "The public +has been wondering for years what became of the thousands of rounds +of ammunition General Bushing took with him on his spectacular march +through Mindanao. Murder will out. It is here!" He rubbed his hands +together in glee, laughing softly. + +"How do you suppose this ammunition got here, Lewis?" General Beech +asked gravely. + +"Why, dumped here, of course. Don't you remember the Sunday editions +at home proclaiming Bushing a hero because he had used more ammunition +and apparently done more fighting, than any one on record? Why didn't +he come out with the truth?" + +General Beech colored at this injustice to his colleague. + +"The usual hasty conclusion characteristic of Young America!" said the +General, sharply. "Do you know, young man, that General Bushing is not +only one of our ablest soldiers, but one of the most finished diplomats +in the service?" Lewis had never seen General Beech so agitated. + +"This discovery will be no news to the war department; they are +in possession of the detailed account of the accident." He paused, +his eyes sweeping the lake. "Lewis, this lake is the site of a most +unfortunate accident. Out there," General Beech pointed toward the +center of the lake, "dozens of our soldiers were lost, and the public +will never know the tragic story of their fall. General Bushing +was trying to transport six rafts of ammunition across the lake +to the troops stranded at Camp Vicars. During a wild night storm, +the handful of men set out on improvised rafts, but half-way across +they were attacked from all sides and nearly annihilated. Only the +wisdom and bravery of General Bushing saved the entire detachment +from death; he ordered the ammunition thrown overboard and rescued +his remaining men after a hard fight. That the survivors, one and +all, have kept faith, and never divulged the story of the lost Krags, +proves the remarkable influence General Bushing had over his command, +for had the Moros got wind of this handy arsenal--!" + + + +The day finally came when the tiny flotilla was at last raised, and, +gay in its paint and polished metal, gallantly rode at anchor. All the +lake tribes were assembled to witness the celebration, and they gazed +with wonder at the strange craft. Many Americans had been attracted to +the lake by news of the discovery, and the camp had grown to almost +twice its original size. Some of the officers' wives had endured the +hardships of the journey to witness the novel sight. + +The boats were pronounced seaworthy and were to be tested. The +largest boat, the flagship, was decorated from one end to the other +with its faded pennants, but in the stern, proudly proclaiming its +present nationality, flew the Stars and Stripes. Under the flag +at the bow stood a sturdy, nonchalant figure, arms folded, head +erect. Condescendingly Piang swept the crowd of wondering natives +with his haughty eye. He paid no more attention to Sicto than to the +others. In his supreme self-confidence Piang scorned to report Sicto +to the authorities. He was clothed in a new dignity that put him far +above considering such an unworthy opponent as Sicto and he silently +cherished the hope that other opportunities to outwit the mestizo +would be granted him. + +An order was given. A shrill whistle startled the jungle folk. The +engines throbbed, and one after another the boats responded. A cheer +went up from the banks. + +Piang had been given the honor of renaming the boats. The smallest +one bore the name of his mother, Minka. The next was dedicated to the +memory of his tribe's greatest hero, Dato Ali, and characteristically, +on the bow of the flagship, beneath the boy's feet, glittered the +bright gold letters, "P-I-A-N-G." + + + + +EIGHTH ADVENTURE + +THE JURAMENTADO GUNBOAT + + +The transport _Seward_ was approaching Jolo. Far in the distance the +sunset tinged the coast with myriads of delicate tints, softening the +harsh outline of the jungle. A flock of wild pigeons hovering over +the town, suggested domestic peace, which was far from the actual +state of affairs in that hotbed of intrigue. Glasses were trained on +the isolated garrison, a mere speck of civilization, hurled at the +foot of the jungle, and the excited tourists covered themselves with +glory by their foolish questions. + +Queer, dark-skinned people in dirty, many-colored garments, looking +like a rainbow fallen in disgrace, greeted the newcomers in sullen +silence, their disapproval very evident. A quarantine officer boarded +and asked for the young lieutenant who was to join the Siasi garrison. + +"Hello, Lewis! There is some uprising in Basilan. Jekiri again, +I guess. They want you up at headquarters immediately." + + + +The chug-chug of the engine was the only sound as the trim little +gunboat _Sabah_ slipped along. Lewis had been given command of a +squad of cavalry and ordered to proceed to Basilan to put down any +outbreak that might threaten. "Juramentado," was whispered, and his +orders were not to allow the troops to become involved but to quell +any trouble that was brewing. + +"A pretty big order for a shave-tail (greenhorn) Lewis," General +Beech had said at parting, "but I bet you and that dark shadow of +yours will make good." The hearty handclasp and kind smile warmed the +young officer's heart. General Beech was unusually young for his post +as division commander, and he had endeared himself to his followers +by his kindly manner and dignified directness, and Lewis would have +faced death for him. + +"Thank you, sir," was all that he said, and "the dark shadow" salaamed +according to his custom. + +That night as the Americans swung along under the dome of brilliant +stars, a question arose as to the meaning of juramentado. + +"Piang," Lieutenant Lewis said, "tell us about this custom of your +people, won't you?" + +Bashfully the boy hung his head and wriggled his toes. He was ashamed +of his fierce people since the good American had taken him into his +home, but they prevailed upon him to explain, and among them they +gathered the following story from his funny, broken English: + +When a Moro wearies of life and wishes to take a short cut to paradise, +he bathes in a holy spring, shaves his eyebrows, clothes himself +in white and is blessed by the pandita. The oath he takes is called +_juramentar_ (die killing Christians), and he arms himself with his +wicked knife and starts forth. Selecting a gathering, well sprinkled +with Christians, he begins his deadly work, and as long as he breathes, +he hews right and left. Piang told them that he had seen one strong +Moro juramentado pierced by a bayonet, drive the steel further into +himself, in order to reach the soldier at the other end of the gun, +whom he cut in two before he died. + +The horror on the faces of his listeners made Piang pause, but they +urged him on. + +"Since we are headed toward Jekiri's sanctum, I guess it behooves us +to get all the dope goin' about these fellows," interjected a recruit. + +Piang's big, black eyes filled with mystery when he described how +the juramentado rides to the abode of the blessed on a shadowy, +white horse, taller than a carabao, just as dusk is falling. Indeed, +he assured them that he had seen this very phenomenon himself and +shivered at the recollection of the unnatural chill and damp that +crept through the jungle while the spirit was passing. + +"Bosh, Piang, you mustn't believe those fairy tales now. You are a +good American." + +"Sure, me good American, now," grinned the boy. + + + +There is nothing to differentiate the island of Basilan from the many +others in the Sulu group. The natives seemed far from hostile, however, +and Lieutenant Lewis remarked upon their docility to Sergeant Greer. + +"Don't let 'em fool you, sir; they're not to be trusted," he replied. + +"Oh, Sergeant, I think we are all too scared of the dirty beggars. If +we ever stop dodging them, they will stop lying in wait for us." + +The old man's face did not reveal his misgivings, but he wondered +where this young upstart would lead the men and inwardly cursed the +war department for sending troops into the jungle under the command +of a baby. He was soon to change his opinion of this particular "baby." + +Camp was pitched near the water's edge in a tall cocoanut grove that +supplied them with food and water as well as shade. The chores over, +liberty was granted to explore the island. The sergeant shook his head; +he seemed to feel the inexperience of the new officer and overstepped +the bounds of discipline when he warned him again of the treachery +of the natives, advising him to keep the men in camp. + +"That will do, Sergeant," replied the lieutenant. The old man stiffened +into a salute, wheeled, and disappeared down the company street. + +At sunset retreat was sounded, and after all the men had been +accounted for, they gathered around the fires. Picturesque natives +mingled with the jolly soldiers, bartering and arguing over trifling +purchases. Through the warm fragrance, unfamiliar sounds kept +reminding Lewis that he was far from home. The twilight deepened +into night, and pipe in hand, he reviewed the strange scene. Folks at +home were celebrating Christmas Eve. Somewhere the snow was falling, +bells jingling, and a mother's prayers were being whispered for the +far-away boy in the Sulu jungle. Little Piang was squatting at his +feet, silently watching the scene, happy because he was near his +master. Suddenly the boy jumped up, dashed into the crowd, and yelled: + +"Juramentado!" + +A tall Moro, without any warning, had begun to shriek and whirl, +cutting to and fro with his terrible campilan, and before any one could +prevent, he had felled two troopers. With a howl, Lewis plunged into +their midst, pistol leveled, but before he could pull the trigger, +the Moro buried the sword in his own vitals and pitched forward, dead. + +"See, another!" cried Piang. + +Just in time a bullet from the lieutenant's revolver silenced another +deadly fanatic. They had slipped into the gathering, well concealed +beneath enshrouding green sarongs, but Piang's quick eye had detected +them before they had a good start. + +"Piang has saved us from a terrible row, boys," said Sergeant Greer, +and when the wounded were cared for, the rough soldiers tossed the +graceful boy on their shoulders and paraded through the camp, much +to the delight of the hero. + +"I go to find the sultan to-morrow, sir?" asked Piang. "Him at +Isabella, and I must give him Kali Pandapatan's message." + +"Well, Piang, I am with you. I'm going to face that old codger and +tell him what I think of his fiendish tricks of killing us off by +this beastly juramentado, when he claims to be at peace with America." + +Lewis learned many things during the trip, and Piang delighted in +guiding his friends through the jungle he loved so well, through the +grass eight feet high, under trees laden with strange fruits. Monkeys +were swinging in the trees chattering and scolding the intruders. + +"You want monkey, sir?" asked Piang. + +"Can you catch one without hurting it?" + +"You watch Piang," chuckled the boy. The others hid, and Piang +struck a match. The tree, full of curious little people, shook as +they scampered about trying to see what Piang was doing. He paid no +attention to them, and as he struck match after match, they gradually +crept nearer. Shielding the flame from the inquisitive creatures, +he excited their curiosity until they were unable to resist, and +soon one hopped to the ground. Another came, and another. Piang paid +no attention to the visitors, continuing to hide the flame in his +hands. Lewis almost spoiled it all by laughing outright, for it was +indeed a ridiculous sight to see the little wild things consumed with +curiosity. Walking upright, their funny hands dangling from the stiff +elbows, they advanced. One venturesome little gray form clinging to +the branch overhead by its tail, timidly touched Piang's shoulder. It +paused, touched it again, and finally confidently hopped upon it, +all the while craning its neck, making absurd faces at the sulphur +fumes. Two little arms went around Piang's neck; a soft little body +cuddled up against him, and all the while the monkey twisted and +turned in its efforts to discover the mystery of the flame. + +The click of a camera sounded like a gunshot in the intense stillness, +and up the trees went the little band in a flash, all but the prisoner +in Piang's arms. + +"Great, Piang," called Lewis. "I hope the picture will be good, +for it was the strangest sight I ever saw in my life." + +"Oh, me love monkeys," replied the boy, stroking and soothing the +frightened creature. "You want this one?" + +"No, let the little beast off, I couldn't bear to cage it up." A banana +and some sugar repaid the monkey for the experiment and after he was +free, he followed the travelers, chattering and begging for sweets. + +When they came to Isabella, capital of Basilan Island, Piang scurried +off in search of the sultan. The men amused themselves watching +the excitement they created. An American soldier is a wonderful and +dreadful thing to these wild folk. + +"The sultan, he out in other barrio. Me catchim." This being +interpreted meant that Piang would guide them to his house. + +When they finally came to a clearing, Lewis wondered why Piang stopped +in front of a filthy hut, half-way up two cocoanut-trees; he was +impatient to be off, as he wanted to reach the sultan's palace before +dark. Piang was arguing with a dirty woman cleaning fish in the river. + +"Piang, what's the idea? Let's get on," impatiently said Lewis. + +"This His Excellency Paduca Majasari Amiril Sultan Harun Narrasid's +house," replied Piang with awe. + +"Gee, what a name!" exclaimed Lewis. "And to go with that dugout, +too. Say, Piang, I suppose we could call the old chap Pad for short?" + +Piang grinned, but instantly went on his knees, head touching the +ground as a sullen, dark face, a white scar slashed across the cheek, +appeared at the opening. + +"What does the beggar mean by that grunt, Sergeant?" asked Lewis. + +"That's the old boy himself, sir, wanting to know why you have +disturbed his royal sleep." + +Lewis was dumfounded! This dirty, insignificant creature the sultan! He +wanted to laugh, but the solemn little figure, prostrate before the +man, made him say quietly: + +"Piang, get up, I want you to talk to him." + +Timidly the boy raised his eyes to his august lord; another grunt +seemed to give Piang permission, for he rose and faced Lewis. + +"What you want Piang to say? Be careful. He not like joke and might +chop off Americanos." + +Lewis realized it was no trifling matter to meet this scoundrel alone +in the jungle, far from reinforcements. His message was simple, short, +and impressive: + +"Ask him why the devil he allowed those juramentados to invade +my camp?" + +With much ceremony Piang addressed the sultan, bowing and scraping +before him. The low, ugly growls in response made Lewis furious, +but he refrained from showing his anger. The sultan's reply amazed him. + +He expressed his regrets indifferently, that the camp had been +disturbed. But (he threw up his hands to indicate his helplessness) +who could stop the sacred juramentado? Not he, powerful sultan that +he was. To-day was a feast of the Mohammedans. To-day was a most +holy day, and, of course, the sultan could not be held responsible +if some of his men had become excited. True, many good Americans had +met their death in this way; it was most unfortunate, but how could +it be stopped? Did the Christians not have their Christmas, and did +they not kill turkeys and cut trees? The Moros are a fierce people +and celebrate their feast days in a more violent manner. + +Poor Lewis! Thoroughly exasperated, he tried to argue through Piang, +but finding it hopeless, he told the boy to finish Kali Pandapatan's +business with the sultan as quickly as possible. + +Discouraged, he started back through the jungle, wondering how many +more fanatics had broken loose during his absence. The sultan was +deliberately picking the troops off, a few at a time, always insisting +that he was at peace with the Americans. The war department, many miles +away, was unable to understand the situation. Orders required that +the Moro receive humane treatment, and forbade any drastic measures +being taken against the juramentados, saying time would cure it. It +was outrageous, and intelligent men were being made fools of by the +sultan, who understood the state of affairs perfectly. + +The jungle began to irritate Lewis; it was a constant fight. The +terrible heat, the tenacity of the vines and undergrowth seemed +directed toward him personally, as he stumbled and fought his way +along. How impossible to deal with the crafty sultan according to +Christian standards! He should be given treatment that would bring +him to terms quickly, and Lewis longed to get a chance at him. + +Suddenly an idea flashed into his head. He hurried Piang, bidding +him find a shorter cut home, as night was gathering. + +"Sergeant Greer, come to my tent immediately," ordered the lieutenant +when he had looked over the camp and found everything safe. + +"Allow no one to enter, orderly," he said and closed the flaps. + +"Sergeant, I have a plan and I need your experience and advice to +carry it out. That old sultan is a fiend, and I am going to get him!" + +"That's been tried many times, sir, and he is still ahead of the game." + +But after Lewis had talked rapidly for a few minutes, disclosing +the plan that was slated to best his majesty, a smile broke over the +weather-beaten features of the sergeant, and he slapped his thighs +in appreciation. + +"Well, sir, we can try it, and if it does work, headquarters will +flood you with thanks; if it fails, and I warn you it might, you will +be cut into hash either by the sultan or the war department." This +was good advice from the old soldier. + +"I know it, Sergeant, but I am going to take the risk if you are with +me." The enthusiastic young man dashed out of the tent to make the +necessary preparations for the great event. + + + +Christmas morning dawned sultry and heavy. The mist lifted after +reveille and the troops were astonished that the _Sabah_ had +disappeared. Their surprise was greater to find a corporal in charge +of the camp. There was a positive order that no trooper should enter +the barrio, and an air of mystery hung over the whole camp. Where +was the gunboat, the lieutenant, the sergeant, and the interpreter, +Piang? The corporal shook his head to all these questions. + +Suddenly rapid firing was heard in the direction of the barrio, +and every soldier seized his gun and ran into the company streets, +but the corporal, calm and undisturbed, dismissed them. + +Nervously the men wandered about; the two wounded men became the center +of attraction and related for the hundredth time their sensations +when the juramentado had struck them down. They were not seriously +wounded, but the cruel cuts were displayed, and they did not prove +an antidote to the tenseness of the situation. + +The firing had ceased after about ten minutes, and new sounds took +its place: wails and shrieks, the crackling of bamboo, told the story +of the burning village. But who had attacked the town? The corporal +smiled to himself, quietly. + +Cheerily a whistle rang out, sending the men running to the beach; +there was the _Sabah_, tripping jauntily through the water toward +her recent mooring-place, and on her deck, smiling and waving, were +the missing men. + +"Merry Christmas," Lewis greeted the men, as he walked down the +company street. Stopping at the cook's tent, he inquired what there +was for dinner. + +"Beans, bacon, and hardbread," was the reply. + +"Tough menu for Christmas, eh, cook?" + +Since their arrival, every turkey and duck had disappeared, and the +barrio offered nothing to enhance their limited ration. It was an +old trick; the natives objected to sharing their food with soldiers, +and as soon as any troops landed on the island, ever possible article +was spirited away into the jungle. + +It was a bad day for every one. Most of the men were homesick, and +they all felt the shadow of impending disaster; only Lewis and his +confidants realized the seriousness of the situation, however. + +"Corporal, take four men with bolos and cut six banana trees," called +Lewis. "Plant them in a row down the company street." + +Curiosity and amusement were mingled with indifference as the men +started toward the thicket to execute the order. What had come +over the lieutenant? Obediently the trees were brought, and Lewis +superintended the planting. The squad was kept busy cutting ferns +and palms, and it began to dawn on the astonished men that they were +preparing for a holiday. The spirit was taken up generally, and the +gloom was gradually dispelled. + +"Here, Jake, hang this mistletoe up over the folding doors," commanded +the corporal, handing him a bamboo shoot, and pointing to the tent +door. "Now when she comes asailin' in to dinner, all unaware of your +presence, smack her a good one, right on the bull's eye." + +Laughter and shouts greeted this order, and when Kid Conner offered to +impersonate a lovely damsel and, with mincing step and bashful mien, +appeared at the opening, Jake was game, and a skuffle ensued. Shrieks +of merriment coming from the cook tent aroused Lewis's curiosity, and +even his weighty matters were forgotten when he beheld Irish cooky +on his knees before the incinerator arranging a row of well-worn +socks. Solemnly folding his hands he raised his eyes in supplication: + +"Dear Santa, don't forget your children in this far-away jungle. We +are minus a chimney on this insinuator, but we are bettin' on you and +the reindeers just the same, to slip one over on us and come shinnin' +down a cocoanut-tree with your pack. Never mind the trimmin's and +holly, just bring plenty of cut plug and dry matches." + +And so the day worn on. Toward noon the storm broke; runners announced +the approach of the sultan, and Lewis was far from calm when he gave +the order to admit him to camp. + +"Piang," he said, "there is the deuce to pay, I know, but you stick +by your uncle, and we will pull through." + +No insignificant nigger greeted Lewis this time. The sultan had come +in state. Where he had gathered his train, the men could not imagine, +but there he was, garbed in royal raiment, attended by slaves and +retainers. Solemnly the procession advanced. Advisers, wives, slaves, +and boys with buyo-boxes followed his majesty, who was arrayed in a red +silk sarong, grotesquely embroidered with glass beads, colored stones, +and real pearls. His hair was festooned with trinkets strung on wire, +and on his fingers were fastened tiny bells that jingled and tinkled +incessantly. They got on Lewis's nerves, and he quaked inwardly when +he realized why he was honored by this visit. + +Finally when the members of the court had arranged themselves around +their master, he loftily signaled for his buyo; Lewis, nothing +daunted, motioned to his striker. Amid smothered laughter he produced +the lieutenant's pipe and tobacco, using a tin wash-basin for a +tray. Mimicking the actions of the royal slave the man salaamed before +Lewis and proffered the pipe. Lest the sultan should despise his barren +state, minus slaves, advisers, and wives, Lewis summoned Sergeant Greer +and directed him to remain beside him to share the honor of the visit. + +When Lewis caught Irish cooky, arrayed in apron and undershirt, with +a basting spoon and a meat ax held at attention, making faces at his +old sergeant, the humor of the situation came over him, and he smiled +to himself as he looked at the scene before him: the banana-trees, +loosely flapping their wilted leaves, the socks idly waiting to +be the center of merriment again, the troop drawn up at attention, +regardless of the variety of uniform, and beyond, the _Sabah_, sole +reminder of civilization, bobbing at anchor. + +Never removing his eyes from Lewis's face, the sultan completed +the ceremony of the buyo, and after deliberately rolling a quid of +betel-nut, lime-dust, and tobacco leaves, the august person stuffed +it into his mouth. + +The trees rang with silence. Lewis thought his ears would burst as +he strained them to catch the first sound that was to decide his +fate. Faithfully Piang remained by his friend's side, despite the +angry glances directed toward him from the sultan's party; the lad +was fearful of the outcome of this tangle. + +Finally the spell was broken. Women giggled, slaves flitted about, +administering to the wants of the party, and the interpreter rose to +deliver the complaint. + +Had there not been a treaty of peace signed between Moroland and +America? + +"Yes," replied Lewis. "And I am happy to serve a government that greets +the Moro as brother." The sultan stirred, perplexed by the reply. + +"Then what right had that boat," asked the interpreter, pointing to +the _Sabah_, "to shell the barrio, destroying property and killing?" + +This question was received by Lewis and the sergeant with grave +surprise. Solemnly they exchanged inquiring glances, then in +mock indignation glowered at the _Sabah_. The _Sabah_ disturb the +peace? When had that happened? + +Insolently the interpreter related the story of the attack, and a +rustle of surprise and delight ran through the troop. Sorrowfully +Lewis and the sergeant shook their heads, and the sultan, puzzled +at first, began to realize that he was dealing with a new kind of +"Americano." The two men's heads bent lower and lower as they sorrowed +over the misdemeanor of their little boat. Weighed down with grief, +Lewis signaled Piang to prepare for his reply to the noble visitor. + +How could he (Lewis) appease the powerful sultan for this mishap? What +amends could he make for the treachery of his little gunboat? Not +even he [his hands went up in imitation of the sultan's own gesture +of the day before] could help it, powerful officer though he was. It +was Christmas, a most holy day, and doubtless before dawn the truant +craft had slipped out of the harbor without permission and had gone +juramentadoing. + +"Attention!" commanded Sergeant Greer, startling the troop into +rigidness. Their delight had almost expressed itself in a whoop. + +With exaggerated gestures, Lewis continued. + +Did the Moro not have similar customs? And did the sultan +not sympathize with him in his inability to stop this dreadful +practice in the Celebes Sea? American boats are dangerous on their +feast days, and no one can tell when they may go juramentadoing to +celebrate the occasion. That is the only custom they could celebrate +to-day. Look! [He pointed at the pitiful banana-trees.] There are no +gifts to adorn them with, no turkeys to kill; and the soldiers' hearts +are sad. But the _Sabah_ evidently appreciated her capabilities, +and doubtless before night she would again honor her country by +recklessly shelling the jungle. + +At this moment from the _Sabah_ a shrill whistle echoed through the +forest, scattering the assembled guests in all directions. Some took +to trees, others threw themselves face down, on the ground. + +The sultan was furious. He gruffly ordered his subjects back, and his +beady eyes glared at the impostor, but he was too much of a diplomat to +display his feelings further. The soldiers had been amused at first, +but they realized the danger of trifling with the sultan. Every tree +and corner of the jungle would respond with an armed savage, eager +to destroy them, should the order be given, and uneasy glances were +directed at the irate potentate. All the recent good humor and mirth +had vanished; only the sergeant and the lieutenant retained an air of +utter indifference. They quietly continued to smoke, gazing off into +the far horizon, oblivious of their surroundings. Were they pushing +that huge American bluff too far? + +After long deliberation, the sultan apparently reached his +conclusion. He whispered an order, and several runners disappeared into +the jungle. Lewis heard the sergeant catch his breath, but the old +man preserved his dignity admirably. More silent waiting and smoking +followed. The sultan growled his displeasure as an adviser attempted to +give some piece of advice, displaying a far from lovely temper. Piang +valiantly stood his ground, ready to fight and die by his friend. + +Finally sounds of the returning slaves reached the gathering. What was +coming? Armed savages? Or had he ordered his poison reptiles to be let +loose among the soldiers? The stillness was oppressive. No one moved, +and the sultan continued to study the averted face of the officer. + +A sound floated to them, nearer, nearer. The men braced themselves +for a fight. But the sound? It was one they had all heard, a familiar, +homelike sound. + +"Gobble-gobble!" It was answered from all directions. Gradually the +truth dawned on Lewis. He had won, and the warm blood rushed through +his tired limbs. + +"Turkeys, by gosh!" shouted a recruit, and the cry was taken up by +the whole command, for slaves were pouring in with fowls of every +description. The sergeant vainly tried to establish order in the ranks, +but the reaction was too great. All the good humor and excitement of +the morning was restored, and the innate childishness of the soldier +began to assert itself. + +"Here, Jake, hang this fellow up on that tree so he can salute his +majesty in true turkey fashion," shouted one man, and Jake, game as +usual, tossed a big gobbler up in one of the mock Christmas-trees. From +this point of vantage the bird made the jungle resound with its +protests, while the troop screamed with laughter as Jake undertook +to interpret the creature's address. + +"Piang, what will we say to the old codger now?" asked Lewis. + +"I ask for gift for _Sabah_; it keep her good," grinned the boy, +and when he delivered that message to his majesty, a smile nearly +destroyed the immobility of his features. A slave handed Lewis a +package done up in green leaves, and when he curiously loosened the +wrappings, a handful of seed-pearls, beautiful in luster and coloring +fell in his palm. + +"Thank him for the _Sabah_, Piang. I guess this will ease her restless +spirit, all right. Tell him it will also serve as a balm for the +wounds of the men who were attacked by the juramentados." + +Regally the old potentate rose to take leave. Lewis wanted to slap +him on the back in that "bully-for-you-old-top" manner, but the farce +must be completed. When the sultan paused opposite Lewis, measuring +him with those cruel, steely eyes, Lewis's only indiscretion was a +wavering of the eyelid, just one little waver, but it was very much +like a wink. There was undoubtedly a response in the other's eyes, +but that is between the sultan and Lewis. + +As solemnly as they had come, the procession disappeared into the +jungle. The giant trees, smothered by vines and noxious growths, +swallowed the brilliant throng and seemed to symbolize the union +of the savage and the jungle. The sergeant's great, brawny hand was +extended and grasped by Lewis in appreciation of what they had been +through together. + +Excitement reigned everywhere. The bedlam of fowls about to be +decapitated and the shrieks of the troopers vied with each other for +supremacy. Piang was being lionized by the men, toasted and praised +in high fashion. + +When Lewis inspected the Christmas dinner, the old Irishman winked +a solemn wink, as he reminded the lieutenant of the discarded menu. + +"You knew it all the time, sor; why didn't you put me on?" With a +noncommittal smile, Lewis proceeded on his usual inspection tour. After +he had returned to his tent and was settling himself to enjoy the +hard-earned meal, he was startled by an unusually loud outburst among +the men. It gradually dawned upon him what it was. "Three cheers +for the lieutenant! Three cheers for Piang!" was the cry that was +disturbing the jungle twilight. + + + + +NINTH ADVENTURE + +THE BICHARA [1] + + +Piang was about to land for the first time at Zamboanga. His tribe +had looked with distrust upon the overtures made by Governor Findy, +and although they obeyed his command to appear at the _bichara_, they +were prepared to fight if necessary. Pagans, Mohammedans, Catholics, +and Protestants were ordered to assemble at Zamboanga to establish +peaceful trading relations, a thing that had never been dreamed +of in the belligerent Sulu Isles, and Americans as well as natives +were fearful of the outcome. The governor was severely criticized +for his experiment, but he had made a deep study of the Moros, +and was willing to run the risks of the present in his desire to +bring the light of freedom and peace to the misguided savages. After +centuries of oppression and outrages against them, the Moros had of +necessity become suspicious and cautious. Preyed upon by Jesuits, +Filipinos, and Spaniards, they had long ago found a ready bolo the +safest argument. Governor Findy had sent them word that they were +to be protected from their enemies, and that Americans were their +friends, but disturbing whispers of traps and bondage made the wild +folk hesitate to obey the summons. + +Thus, a strange scene was being enacted at the Zamboanga wharf. From +all directions weird crafts made their way hesitatingly toward it. The +sentries were distrustfully scrutinized, but not a soldier was armed. + +"See, Kali Pandapatan, I told you the new governor was good. He trusts +us and permits us to enter his barrio as friends." Proudly the tribe's +charm boy sprang from the war-prau, and, to the astonishment of the +soldiers, as well as the Moros, strutted up to the sergeant in charge +and offered his hand, American fashion. + +"I'll be dinged, if it ain't Piang!" exclaimed Sergeant Greer. "Is +this your old man, Piang?" he asked genially, pointing to Kali +Pandapatan. The old chief stiffened at the apparent familiarity. + +"Him big chief! Him Kali Pandapatan," hastily corrected Piang. + +"Excuse me, sor; no hard feelings, I hope. Had a rough trip over, +I hear; how did you leave the missus?" + +When the remark had been interpreted, a murmur rippled through +Kali's ranks, and hands flew to hips. No Moro permits his women to +be spoken of. + +"What's all the fuss, kid?" asked the sergeant, innocently. + +With an impish grin, Piang replied: + +"Him no like talk about missus; him got twenty." + +"The deuce he has!" laughed the sergeant. "Some old scout!" + +The good-natured Irishman finally gained the confidence of the ruffled +potentate, and when Piang explained that he and the soldier were old +friends, Kali solemnly acknowledged the union with a stiff handshake. + +"Ver' good," said the savage with a grin. Piang glowed with pride at +Kali's display of English. + +"Now what do you know 'bout that?" commented Greer. + +The savages were for all the world like packs of wild animals brought +to bay. Gaudy Bogobos from Davao brushed shoulders for the first time +with Sabanas and Kalibugans, and their snarls and bickerings boded +ill for the success of the bichara; but finally the natives huddled +together, linked by the common suspicion of their Christian enemy. + +Before entering the town, every visitor was required to place +his weapons in the _lanceria_. Now a weaponless Moro is the most +embarrassed of men, with the possible exception of the dreamer who +finds himself at a party in pajamas. A Moro's idea of his costume, +arranged in order of its importance is: first, weapons; second, hat; +third, shirt, and, incidentally, trousers. + +The timid creatures slunk along, looking suspiciously behind them, but +as the soldiers paid no attention to them, they gradually forgot their +enmity toward civilization and became engrossed in the new delights: +pink lemonade, pop-corn, toy balloons. They were beside themselves +with joy. When ice-cream was introduced, and they had been assured +that it would not burn them, their admiration was unbounded. Piang +surreptitiously slipped some of the heavenly sweet into his wallet +for future consumption and was dismayed a little later to find a thin +stream trickling down his leg and an empty wallet. + +Governor Findy watched with interest the mingling of the many alien +people. Wily Chinamen behind their bamboo street-stalls ministered +to the wants of the throng, taking in trade bits of gold-dust and +trinkets of brass; Filipinos offered their wares, cooling drinks and +sweets. The Filipino's costume is very different from that of the +Moro. He wears stiff, white trousers, carefully creased and immaculate +shirts which hang outside the trousers. He wears no shoes, and his +short black hair is oiled and brushed very carefully. + +"Now, it's many times I've been wonderin' what the advantage is in +wearin' your shirt outside your trousers," said Sergeant Greer to a +sentry. "That's what I call practical," and he pointed to an ice-cream +vender, industriously wiping a spoon on the tail of his shirt, before +offering it to a new customer. + +There was great excitement over the coming _baile_ (ball). That night +savages and Christians were to enjoy the festivities side by side, and +marvelous tales of preparation were being circulated. Piang and Kali +Pandapatan wandered about the village, pausing here and there, filled +with awe at the novel sights. The value of garters as necklaces had +been discovered, and a brilliant crimson pair decorated the chief's +neck (he had gladly parted with five dollars' worth of gold-dust +for the treasure). Gilt collar buttons were forced into the holes +in his ears. Safety-pins and their surprises had to be investigated, +and an admiring throng crowded around, marveling at Kali's daring. + +"Kali!" Piang exclaimed suddenly. "Look!" + +Seated at a table in front of a Chino café, were three men in +earnest conversation: Alverez, a Filipino mestizo, who had acquired +by deception the Moro title, Dato Tamangung; his cousin Vincente; and +the Moro malcontent, Sicto. The two Filipinos were disloyal employees +of the government, already suspected of being the instigators of +unrest among the Moros. Sicto was a deserter from Kali's ranks and +was wanted by that august chief for many serious offenses. Dato Kali +Pandapatan scorned to report Sicto to the authorities. A Moro dato +is supreme and has the right to punish his subjects according to his +own lights. A woman, mingling with the gala bichara throng had a mere +stump for an arm; she was a thief and her hand had been severed to +prevent it from offending again. A man with face half covered showed +the savage justice dealt a liar; his mouth had been split from ear +to ear to permit easier passage of the truth. Sicto would be handled +according to Moro law, but not here. + +Kali and Piang exchanged a knowing look, and Piang wandered off, +apparently seeking new pleasures, but furtively watching the three +men. He wormed his way through the crowd intent on a game of chess, +played by two venerable old Chinamen. A sudden "Sssshhh" from Sicto +interrupted Alverez's excited whisper, but not before Piang had caught +a few significant words: + +"The baile--juramentado--Findy." + +The little charm boy's heart beat violently, but his face never +changed expression. Juramentado! So some poor misguided fanatic +had been persuaded to assassinate the governor. He and Kali must +prevent the outrage, for had they not sworn allegiance to this new +chief? Piang feared that Sicto suspected the words had been overheard, +so he carefully avoided Kali and strolled on among the people. A +glance at his chief had warned Kali that trouble was in the air. + +Sicto, Alverez, and Vincente moved off toward the dock. + +"Sicto, did Piang hear what I said?" asked Alverez. + +"Does the jungle hear the trumpeting of the elephant?" angrily +retorted Sicto. + +"He hasn't spoken to any one yet," said Vincente, significantly. "We +had better get rid of him before--" + +A whispered conversation followed, and Alverez finally exclaimed: + +"I'll do it! Wait here. Watch Piang." Then he hurried off. + +Without approaching Kali, or divulging the secret to any one, Piang +followed the men to the dock, and Sicto laughed softly as he watched +the unsuspecting boy walk into the trap. The little gunboat _Sabah_ +was bobbing at her moorings, and Piang joined the crowd that was +gazing in wonder at the strange craft. A shrill whistle, signifying +the _Sabah's_ intention of immediate departure, so terrified the Moros +that some took to their heels while others sought the safety of tall +lamp-posts. Piang was laughing merrily when he was startled by a noise, +and turning, he saw Alverez and a soldier running toward him. + +Instantly everything was confusion, and Piang realized that he was +the center of the excitement. + +"Are you Piang?" asked the soldier, cautiously approaching him. + +"Sure, me Piang." + +"Hike! Beat it!" said the man, pointing to the _Sabah_. + +What did he mean? Was Piang to be allowed to go aboard the boat? + +The soldier made it very plain, finally, that such was the case, but +Piang insisted that he could not depart on a pleasure ride without +getting his chief's permission. + +"_Sigi_, beat it, I tell you, _pronto_!" said the soldier impatiently, +emphasizing the command with a push. Almost before Piang realized it, +he found himself on the gunboat, which was slowly moving out toward +the channel. In his hand was a crumpled piece of paper which the +soldier had gingerly thrust into it. + +"Here's your passport, kid," he had said with a grin. Piang carefully +unrolled the paper and stared at the queer American characters. A +sailor offered to translate it for him, but when he glanced over the +paper, he uttered a low whistle. + +"Say, you go away back and sit down! Don't you come near me or any +one else, sabe?" + +Piang recoiled before the look of disgust on the sailor's face. What +was the matter with every one? Why were they all afraid to come near +him, and where were they taking him? He summoned up enough courage to +ask who had written the letter, and when he was told that it was signed +by Governor Findy, he felt reassured. Surely if the good governor was +sending him somewhere, it would be all right. Disconsolately, Piang +crouched in a corner, watching sharks and dolphins sporting in the +foaming wake. He wondered how long the boat was going to be out, if +it would return in time for him to save the governor. When he started +toward a group of men to ask for information he was met with a shout. + +"Get out of here, you!" they yelled, and poor Piang hurriedly retreated +to the stern. Much talk of the coming baile seemed to indicate that +the sailors expected to return before evening, so Piang patiently +squatted on a coil of rope, wondering when the mysteries of his errand +would be revealed to him. + +The ocean is dotted with many lovely islands off Zamboanga. Somber, +lowering Basilan guards its secrets to this day; Sacol, home of Dato +Mandi, invites and then repels the intruder; tiny clumps of vivid +green rise out of the channel in the most unexpected places, as if +timidly wishing to investigate before adding their emerald mite to +crown the Celebes. The island toward which the _Sabah_ was making her +way seemed blacker and denser than its more frivolous neighbors. Two +staccato whistles warned the islanders of the _Sabah's_ approach, +and the beach was soon the scene of lively commotion. The engines +stopped, and the gunboat slid along easily. A boat was lowered. The +sailors were speaking in low voices; one looked toward Piang and +shook his head sadly. + +"My task is not to be an easy one," thought the charm boy, but his +head went up proudly. These sailor men should see how a brave Moro +executed the commands of his superiors. + +"Come on, kid," called a jacky, and just as Piang stepped over the +side a kindly sailor slipped a quarter in his hand. It was evidently +a gift, and the boy grinned appreciatively. + +"Wastin' your coin, man," remarked another sailor with a harsh +laugh. "He's not likely to need _dinero_ (a silver coin) soon." Piang +wondered again at the pitying looks that were cast at him, but he only +held his head higher and climbed into the boat. The men seemed in a +great hurry; they landed far up the beach, and bags and provisions +were hastily dumped on the sand. + +"Here you are, young 'un," said a sailor, and Piang looked up eagerly. + +"Me, here?" + +"Yep, this is your place," replied the man, looking away quickly from +the soft brown eyes. + +Obediently the jungle boy jumped out, awaiting instructions. The +sailor in charge pointed to the paper in Piang's hand and waved toward +the barrio. + +"For dato?" Piang asked, with a puzzled look. + +"Sure, the dato," replied the man evasively, and Piang turned and +started off through the jungle, following a well defined path. + +"Plucky kid, that," said the sailor who pushed off. "Wonder if he +knows what's up? Half the time they don't tell the poor devils. Row +over toward the patrol-boat, and I'll warn them to watch carefully +to-night in case he tries to escape. When they first land here they +kick up a terrible row and usually try to make a get-away or commit +their particular brand of hari-kari [suicide]." + +Piang was in a great hurry. There was no time to be lost and whatever +the business in hand might be, it must be finished quickly. He wondered +why some of the sailors had not come with him. Americans are always +so curious and never lose an opportunity to visit a strange barrio. He +ran on swiftly. + +Two sounds broke simultaneously on his ears. What was there in them +to strike a chill to his heart, to fill him with forebodings? That +shrill whistle! It was surely the _Sabah's_, and as Piang came to +a small clearing, he caught a glimpse of the harbor. A cry broke +from him. The _Sabah_ was sailing away. Before he could fully +realize the calamity, that other sound, ominous and terrible, came +again from the barrio. A low rumbling, punctuated with shrieks and +screams, came nearer, nearer. Suddenly from out the dense undergrowth +protruded a face, shoulders, and finally a woman, old and bent, crept +through. Spell-bound, Piang watched her. Wisps of unkempt gray hair +straggled around her head; filthy rags hung from her lean, stooping +shoulders; sunken eyes, sly and vicious, glared at Piang. Tremblingly +the boy watched her creep toward him. There was something about the old +hag that turned his blood cold. The distant rumble became individual +howls, and Piang suddenly realized that he was being hunted. But why, +and by whom? The innocent paper in his hand crackled. The old hag +was very near, was about to touch him. With a shriek, Piang jumped +back. Her hands were festered; her face and neck were covered with +white splotches. + +"A leper!" cried the boy and suddenly he realized that he had been +trapped by that villain, Sicto. Not Sicto, but Alverez had filched +the order for the confinement of a leper, had erased the name, and +substituted Piang's. He flung the damning paper from him. + +As the boy darted off through the jungle, the old woman yelled. The +cry brought the others, and when Piang caught sight of them, he +almost lost hope. Would he be able to escape the contamination +of this island? With mad shrieks, the lepers gave chase, eager to +lay hands on one so lately relegated to their colony. Was he not a +leper too? What right had he to scorn them, his brothers? Hotter, +fiercer grew the chase. The island was so small that it afforded +little refuge for the hunted boy. Sounds from all sides indicated +that the chase was almost over; it was only a matter of minutes now, +and never again could he leave the dread colony. + +A rustle at his feet startled him, and some animal scurried off +into the bush. A dark hole from which it had evidently crawled +attracted Piang's attention, and without an instant's hesitation, +he flung himself on the ground and wormed his body into the welcoming +shelter. Pulling a fallen branch in front of the opening, he shrank +farther back into the cave. Cave? No, he had taken refuge in a fallen +tree trunk, hollowed out by the persistent ferreting of termites +(ants). + +"He was here, here," screamed the old woman. The pursuers flocked to +the spot, and Piang listened as they beat the bush, clamoring for their +victim. They were so infuriated at the new arrival's unsociability +that they would probably kill him if they found him. + +Piang crouched back in his cramped quarters. The tiny white ants +announced their disapproval of the intrusion by vicious stings, but +Piang did not move. A sudden jolt made his heart beat wildly. Some +one had jumped on the other end of the log, and the rotting wood had +caved in. He expected each moment to be his last. Over his head the +pattering of bare feet, running along the trunk, sounded like thunder. + +When the lepers moved off into the jungle, Piang was not deceived. They +would lie in wait, and their revenge would be the more terrible for +the delay. Sweat poured down Piang's face; his body ached where the +ants had stung him. He tried to plan some means of escape, but none +came to his tired brain. + +"There is no God but Allah," whispered the charm boy, and a peace +seemed to fall upon him. + +Many weary hours went by before a squawk penetrated the death-like +stillness. Fruit-bats! It must be night. Very slowly he made his +way toward the opening. Unfortunately for Piang the full moon was +rising, making the soft, tropical night a wonder of beauty and +loveliness. Cautiously he thrust his head through the branches that +shielded his retreat. He was very near the ocean; the other end of the +fallen tree, in which he had found refuge, was lying in the water, and +the rising tide was gradually creeping up over it. The gentle swish +of the sea comforted Piang. It was his friend, the only friend that +could help him escape from this island of decay. His practised eyes +discerned the shadowy forms of watchers squatting along the beach; +beyond, the patrol-boat moved about restlessly, and in the distance +twinkled the lights of Zamboanga. + +"If I could only get past the lepers and the boat, I could swim back," +thought Piang, and he looked with longing at the oily smoothness of +the water. Nothing could slip past the boat on that sea of glass in +the bright moonlight. He remembered the schools of sharks he had seen +in the _Sabah's_ wake and shuddered; but even that was better than +being doomed to die here. He pillowed his head on his arms and leaned +against the trunk; his hand closed over a piece of dry bamboo. Lifting +it to his eye, he idly squinted through it; it was smooth and clean. + +Piang fell to soliloquizing. How many times, surrounded by his +friends, he had swum in the moonlight. He remembered one night in +particular. How they had sported with bamboo sticks, blowing the +spray high in the air, laughing as it fell upon each other! Piang +could swim miles with arms folded, pushing through the water like a +fish, rolling over on his back or sides, when tired. He had fooled +the tribe by staying under water for three minutes, breathing easily +through his hollow, bamboo tube. Kali had given him a prize. + +Piang's eyes widened, brightened. With the bamboo stick--could he? He +blew through it softly and laughed. But how to get into the water +without being detected? The approaching tide, lapping the other end +of the fallen log, seemed to be caressing it in pity. Piang examined +it closely. Dared he crawl along the trunk? His eyes fell upon the +hole just above the water where one of his pursuers had broken through. + +"Allah, I thank Thee," breathed the excited boy. He had found his +chance, had discovered a possible means of escape. + +Crawling back into the log, he tested the heart of the tree and to +his joy, it crumbled under his touch. With a smothered cry, he began +to cut his way through the pithy, dust-like wood, and as he gradually +worked quantities of the soft fiber loose, he tossed it behind him. If +he could work his way through the rotted trunk before the tide turned, +it would be an easy matter to slip through the hole into the water. + +It was suffocating in the damp inclosure, as the discarded pith +began to fill the opening. Tiny apertures let in just enough air, +but Piang was panting and dripping with sweat. As he struggled on +toward the hole, he could feel the water under him, as it swayed the +log gently. Only a little further! + +The moonlight bathed Piang in its soft light; a cool breeze blew +across his face. One of the watching lepers stood up suddenly. + +"There are many crocodiles to-night," he finally said, pointing toward +the log where a slight ripple, widening into vanishing rings, closed +over a dark form. + + + +"That's a queer kind of fish!" + +The sailors on the patrol-boat crowded around the speaker, glad of +any excitement to break the monotony of their vigil. A thin stream of +water had spurted up, disturbing the perfect calm of the surface, and +a small black object could plainly be seen, hurrying through the water. + +"Now what the deuce?" said the captain. Two bells were loudly sounded, +and the boat bounded forward. + +"Look out, don't run it down. Steer to one side." + +The search-light, turned full upon the strange object, revealed to +the puzzled sailors a slim bamboo tube, sticking upright, propelled +by a strong force from below. + +"Now, why don't that stick float, instead of sailing along like a +periscope?" pondered the captain. + +As suddenly as the phenomenon had appeared, it sank from sight and +the chase ended abruptly. + +"Look at our visitors," said a sailor, pointing over the side. Long +streaks of phosphorescence darted back and forth in the shadow of +the boat. + +"That's a pretty bunch of shovel-nosed man-eaters, for you," remarked +the mate. "Gosh, wouldn't you hate to give the hungry devils a chance +at you, though?" + + + +The baile was in full swing. The bichara was proving a great +success. Governor Findy graciously accepted the savages' allegiance +to the new government and their promises to make the trading system +a success. The small park in the center of the garrison was teeming +with life. On one side the American band gave the first notes of +civilized music that the Moros had ever heard; opposite, rows of brass +tom-toms responded mournfully. Gaudy lanterns festooned the tall trees +and swung between, describing graceful curves. Flickering moonlight +and fireflies added their bit. At one end of the park a platform had +been erected for the officers and their families. The savages crowded +around as the Americans swayed to the waltz, and their surprise was +no less than that of the Americans, when the tom-toms stirred the +Moros to the dance and they whirled and crouched in native fashion. + +Governor Findy was surrounded by his personal guard; burly Irishmen +shared this honor with stalwart Moros, thus proving the governor's +trust in the wild people. + +Dato Mandi, Dato Kali Pandapatan, and Governor Findy were conversing +on the steps of the dancing platform. + +"Kali says that Piang mysteriously disappeared about noon to-day," +explained Mandi in excellent English. + +"Who is this Piang, Mandi?" asked the governor. + +"Piang is the idol of the Buldoon tribe. He is Kali Pandapatan's +famous charm boy, friend of General Beech and Lieutenant Lewis," +replied Mandi. + +"Strange that one so well known should disappear. Yes, I have heard +much of this boy's loyalty and sagacity." The two Moros turned quickly, +warned by a startled look on the governor's face. Far down the smooth +shell road a figure was staggering, wavering toward them. + +"Trouble, trouble," muttered Findy. + +The music ceased with a discordant jar, there was a slight stir among +the spectators as Sicto and his companions attempted to retire, but to +their surprise, Kali's faithful men closed about them significantly. On +came the figure, lithe, slim, and brown. + +"Piang!" cried Kali Pandapatan, and instantly his eyes sought out +the cowering Sicto. + +The heavy, labored breathing became audible as the exhausted boy +stumbled through the crowd. A sentry started forward to seize him, +but the governor waved him aside. Dripping and panting, Piang staggered +toward his chief. + +"Juramentado--gobernador!" faintly whispered Piang. + +A wild shriek crashed through the intense stillness; a green sarong +was torn off, and the white-clad figure of a juramentado rushed at the +governor. But Kali Pandapatan was quicker, and just as the assassin +raised his barong, a slender kriss glistened in the moonlight and +descended. The juramentado lay bathed in his own blood. + +Jumping up to the platform, Kali Pandapatan raised his hands. + +"My brother chiefs," he cried, "did any of you know of this foul plot?" + +"No, no!" came the quick response from every Moro, and although the +Americans could not understand his words, they began to realize that +Kali was exhorting his people to disclaim knowledge of the outrage. + +"Viviz Gobernador!" came from the full, savage throats, and the cry +was taken up by the multitude. + +The dazed governor looked down at the prostrate figure at his feet, +looked long, and sorrowed. + +"But for the brave Piang I should have been lying there," he murmured. + +Piang supported by Kali watched this new chief. + +"Come here, Piang," said the governor. Fumbling with the collar of +his white uniform, he loosened something. + +"My lad, I thank you for your bravery," he said, his voice shaking +slightly. "For your timely arrival, and your courage. Your name shall +be sent to the great chief at Washington." + +The words were repeated to the jungle boy, and his manly little chest +swelled with pride. + +"Piang, I am about to decorate you with the emblem of our government; +these infantry cross-guns I shall pin on your breast." The dignified +governor reached forward to make good his words, but he paused +in embarrassment, the noble speech dying on his lips. He gazed in +dismay at the naked little savage, standing straight and expectantly +before him. + +"I shall _place_ this emblem." The officer began again. There was a +titter among the spectators. + +Piang, eagerly eyeing the treasure, wondered why the governor +delayed. Suddenly a gleam of understanding broke over him, and he +grinned, broadly. With the tip of his finger he touched the shining +cross-guns, then his necklace of crocodile teeth. The situation +was saved. + +Amid thunderous applause the smiling governor fastened the guns to +the indicated article of dress, and loud and clear rose the shout: + +"Piang! Piang!" + + + + +TENTH ADVENTURE + +PIANG'S TRIUMPH + + +Two years had passed since the bichara. Prosperity and honor had come +to Dato Kali Pandapatan and his people under the rule of General Beech +and Governor Findy, and Piang had been raised to the post of official +interpreter. Sicto, the disturber, had been seized in Zamboanga +on the charge of complicity in the plot on Governor Findy's life; +he had attempted to escape, and there were varying reports as to the +results. Some said that he had been killed by a crocodile, others that +he had escaped and swum to Basilan; but the tribe had not heard of him +since the bichara, and they were relieved to be rid of his bullying +presence. Especially the little slave girl, Papita, whom Sicto had +annoyed since infancy, was glad that he was gone. Sicto's father had +captured the little maid in a raid on the Bogobo country, and the +boy seemed to think it his special privilege to abuse and torment her. + +Along the steep mountain trail, dividing the jungle as a river might, +crept a slow procession. A lumbering carabao swayed lazily forward, +and on each side walked four stalwart Moros, ever heedful of the +dignified figure astride the beast. Dato Kali Pandapatan rode in +silence. Occasionally he gazed down into the deep valleys or off in +the direction of Ganassi Peak, but the sorrowful, patient expression +never left his face. + +Where was Piang? For three days the boy had been missing, and Kali +guessed only too easily what had taken him away in such haste. A +few days before little Papita had mysteriously disappeared. It was +whispered that the notorious Dato Ynoch (Ee-nock) had kidnapped her, +and Kali was already preparing an expedition against the marauder. He +felt the strain of civilization for the first time, for he had given +his word never to assemble his warriors without the permission of +the white chiefs at Zamboanga. But Piang, the impatient, the valiant, +could not brook the delay, and had in all probability started after +his little friend alone. Kali's messengers should return to-day, +and he had ridden far out to watch for their coming. + +The procession reached the clearing that gave a full view of the +sea. In the distance the eye could discern the curving coast of tiny +Bongao; Kali was impervious to the summer beauty and youth of the +sparkling ocean, to the charm of the dainty island so gaily chatting +with the garrulous waves. He did not see the graceful, white rice-birds +or the regal aigrets flitting about among the trees; he saw only the +vast, restless ocean. There were no boats in sight. + +Slowly the willing carabao was turned homeward, and the aged monarch +sorrowfully gave up hope of sending succor to Piang that night. The +recent storm had probably delayed his envoys, and he must wait the +_Sabah's_ monthly visit, which would come the next day. + +At the door of his hut Kali Pandapatan was helped from the royal +beast's back and up the steep ladder entrance into the cool dusk of +the interior where industrious women squatted at their several tasks. + +"I miss the child's lively chatter," Aioi was saying sadly. + +"She was a trying pupil, I can tell you," remarked the woman at the +loom, "but a winning child." She leaned closer to Aioi and whispered: + +"Did you know that Papita had been asked in marriage?" The surprised +look on Aioi's face made an answer unnecessary. + +"Our chief is said to have spurned the offer. You know he has always +hoped to prove Papita's noble birth; he wanted Piang to have her, +so when the terrible Dato Ynoch's offer came--" + +"Who speaks the name of our enemy in my house?" thundered Kali, +glowering at the chattering women. "Bend to your tasks and have done +with idle gossip." + + + +What difference did it make to Piang if he was alone, if he had only +the barest clue to Papita's whereabouts? He was going to follow up +that clue, and something seemed to tell him that he was on the right +track. The jungle was dripping and steaming after a three days' +downpour; monkeys and birds were huddled in the trees, melancholy, +but patient, knowing that their friend, the burning tropic sun, would +come to them again, some day. Piang trudged on through the sticky, +slippery jungle. An occasional fresh track or recent camping site +made him push forward eagerly. What he should do when he did overtake +the kidnappers, he had no idea, but something always happened to help +Piang. He reverently touched his sacred charm. + +The deluge through this lower jungle must have been terrific. Piang was +glad that he had been in his mountain barrio during the tempest. Strewn +everywhere were branches and enormous tree-ferns; a dead hablar-bird +lay in his path. Leeches, hiding on the backs of leaves and twigs, +caught at Piang as he brushed by, clinging and sucking their fill, +before he could discover them. He raised one foot quickly and yelled: + +"_Tinick!_" ("Thorn!") While he was searching for the thorn his +other foot began to ache and pain. Piang was too wise to hesitate +a moment, so he swung up to a low branch and sat there nursing his +feet. He was puzzled; there was no thorns in them, and he could find +no cuts. Gradually the soles of the feet began to swell and take on a +purplish hue. Piang gave a low whistle and bent to examine the ground. + +"_Badjanji!_" ("Bees!") he exclaimed. The ground was yellow with +the little bedraggled, stupified creatures. They had been beaten +down by the storm and would remain there until the sun came to coax +them into industry again. Swinging lightly from one tree to another, +Piang reached one of the numberless brooks that ramble aimlessly +about through the jungle, and, dropping to its banks, buried his +feet in the healing clay. After a short time the pain grew better, +and he continued his journey. + +He was nearing Dato Ynoch's domain on the banks of Lake +Liguasan. The outlaw had chosen his lair well, for it was one of +the most inaccessible spots in Mindanao. On all sides treacherous +marsh lands reached out from the lake, and it was almost impossible +to tell when one might step from the solid jungle into a dangerous +morass. A few hidden trails led to the barrio, and by great good luck +Piang discovered one. Quietly he crept along into the ever-increasing +twilight, for the trail led deep into the jungle's very heart where +daylight and sunshine never penetrate. Sounds came faintly from the +barrio; tom-toms and many drums beat a monotonous serenade. A fiesta +must be in progress. A fiesta? Piang's face grew hot, and his black +eyes flamed. Could it be that the fiesta was poor Papita's wedding? He +broke into a run and, panting and sweating, pushed farther into the +darkening jungle; but the trail was evidently an abandoned one, for +it brought up suddenly against a wall of thorns and closely woven +vines. Throwing himself on the ground, Piang wriggled through the +offensive marsh weeds, and finally found himself almost on the edge +of Lake Liguasan. From his retreat he could plainly see the village +streets. The barrio was certainly preparing for a fiesta and no +ordinary one, either, for elaborate and barbaric decorations shrouded +huts and street. Raised on two posts at the entrance of the village, +was a carcass of a mammoth crocodile, in its opened jaws a human +skull. Piang shuddered. He had heard that Dato Ynoch's followers were +gathered from among the renegade Dyak pirate head-hunters, who fled +to Mindanao from Borneo justice. The human skull confirmed the rumor, +for there are no cannibal tribes among the Moros. + +It was certainly a marriage feast that the women were preparing. A +raised platform in the middle of the campong (common), tastefully +decorated with skulls small, skulls large, and skulls medium, +formed the altar, and a large black bullock was already tied to the +_sapoendoes_ (sacrifice post). Piang flushed with excitement at an +unusually loud beating of tom-toms; the chief was coming. Piang had +long wished to see this terrible Ynoch. Weird stories of his terrible +personality, his disfigured countenance were widespread. That so +powerful a dato could have sprung up so suddenly puzzled the Moros, +and Ynoch's identity still remained a mystery. + +Down the center of the street advanced a gaudy procession headed +by a barbaric priestess. From her head protruded massive horns +decorated with flaming red flowers. Around her loins was strapped a +crimson sarong; her body swayed and twisted to the savage rhythm of +the tom-toms. A tall, amazingly fat man stepped to the platform. His +back seemed oddly familiar to Piang, as well as the slinking gait, the +shambling step. Straining his eyes, Piang waited. Dato Ynoch raised +his hand for silence and turned toward the waiting populace. Piang +nearly cried out as he caught sight of the face. + +Oily of hair, oily of eye was this Dato out-law. His shifting glance +wandered restlessly over the heads of the people, meeting no man's +eye. Beneath the pomp of his trappings, the fat, overfed body protruded +grotesquely, and his movements were slow and clumsy. One almond-shaped +eye had been partly torn from its socket, leaving a hideous, red +scar. An ear, which appeared to have slipped from the side of the +oily head and lodged on a fold of the fat neck, had in reality been +neatly carved from its proper place by an enraged slave and poorly +replaced by a crude surgeon. A bamboo tube had been inserted in the +original ear-drum. + +"Sicto!" gasped Piang. The mysterious Dato Ynoch, was Sicto, the +mestizo. + +That Papita had been dragged to the barrio, Piang now had no doubt, +and his nimble wits began to look about for a way of escape. He was +near the banks of a creek that led to the Cotabato River and thinking +that the most likely escape, he wormed his way toward it. Along the +bank were canoes of every description. The swift ones seemed to be all +four-oared, and he knew that he must have a fleet, light vinta to elude +the Dyaks. He spied a tiny white boat tied to a gilded post, and his +heart nearly stopped beating when he read the name "Papita" on the bow. + +"Papita!" Piang scornfully whispered. "Papita, indeed!" His lip curled, +and he glared through the rushes at the hideous Sicto. + +"Well, it shall be Papita's after all!" Piang said and he smiled. He +crept toward the little craft to see if there were paddles in it. There +were two, and Piang suddenly remembered that part of the Dyak betrothal +ceremony takes place upon the water. + +Long Piang pondered as he watched the preparations for Papita's +betrothal. He examined the _cotta_, counted the praus, and his keen +eyes followed the creek to its sharp turn. He crawled past the bend +to make sure that the stream was navigable. Satisfied that he could +escape through its waters, Piang began to cut rushes, and, squatting +in the protecting undergrowth, busily worked while he indignantly +listened to the loquacious Sicto telling his followers that Papita +was no slave, but a maiden of royal Bogobo birth. He and his father +had kept it secret because they intended her for his wife, and at +last he had captured the girl from Kali Pandapatan. Faster and faster +flew Piang's fingers, and finally a basket began to shape itself out +of the rushes. Soon Piang had two perfect baskets, and he slung them +over his shoulder. While Sicto and his villains were celebrating the +coming wedding, Piang quietly slipped back through the jungle, back +to the brook where the medicinal clay had cured the bee stings. When +he returned later, he handled the baskets with great care and chuckled +softly to himself. + +A second beating of tom-toms thundered through the barrio. The bride +was coming. Down an avenue made for her by hostile looking women, +crept a tiny, terrified figure. It was draped in the softest Eastern +stuffs; jeweled anklets and bangles tinkled merrily. A gauzy veil of +wondrous workmanship swathed the figure, but through it all Piang +recognized his beloved Papita. Slowly she approached the altar; +fearfully she raised her eyes to the man who awaited her there. Her +little feet faltered, and the priestess supported her. Papita leaned +heavily against the woman. Three soft notes of a mina-bird floated +over the barrio, and Papita became suddenly alive. Again the notes +stole through the jungle. The bride threw back her veil. + +"The unwilling maid seems to have forgot her woe," said one scornful +woman to another. "Now that she is about to become our chief's first +wife, she does not weep and cry to be taken home." + +The priestess commenced the ceremony that was to last all +night. Chants, prayers, admonitions, all, Papita responded to with +renewed vigor, and her eyes furtively glanced toward a spot near the +curve of the creek where a slender reed swayed unceasingly. After +many hours the priestess led the way to the water and Ynoch placed +Papita in her gala vinta and pushed her out into the stream. He got +into another, and the two boats nosed each other while the crowd +showered them with oils and perfumes. When the command came to part, +each boat shot off in an opposite direction. A maiden and a bridegroom +are each supposed to meditate for the last time on the advisability of +the union before the final ceremony; so reads the Dyak marriage laws. + +As indifferently as a queen, Papita plied her paddle, paying no heed +to the unfriendly eyes and mutterings of the Dyaks; she seemed in no +haste and managed her vinta with amazing skill for one so small. Only +once she seemed to lose control; her vinta cut deep into the tall +rushes near the bend of the creek. Had the Dyaks been less intent on +exhibiting their scorn, they might have noticed that when the boat +drew back from the rushes it rode deeper in the water, and the little +figure labored harder at the paddle as the vinta turned the bend and +passed from sight. + +"Piang! is it you?" + +As Papita spoke, the form lying in the bottom of the vinta slowly +unfolded like a huge jack-knife. The merry eyes twinkled, the youthful, +firm mouth curved at the corners, and Piang, the adventurer, smiled +up at the astonished girl. + +"But yes, Chiquita, did you think that Piang would suffer the outcast +Sicto to kidnap his little playmate?" Piang took up the paddle and +the vinta shot forward. Silently the two bent to the task, every +moment increasing the distance between them and their enemies. + +"Will they catch us, Piang?" + +"Of course not, my Papita. Piang, the charm boy comes to rescue +you." The proud head went up with arrogant superiority. + +"But there are many hidden cut-offs and creeks between us and the +river, Piang; Sicto will surely trap us." The terrified expression +in the girl's soft eyes touched Piang's heart. + +"Have no fear, Papita. Let Sicto overtake us and he will be sorry. Put +your ear to the baskets." + +As the girl bent over the two baskets, lying in the bottom of the +vinta, a frown puckered her brow. A dull hum, like a caged wind +protesting in faint whispers, rose from them. Gradually a smile broke +over her face, and she laughed softly. + +"Yes; Sicto will be sorry if he overtakes us," she whispered. + +Through the deepening night, a roar came to the fugitives. A deep, +cruel howl; tom-toms beat a ragged and violent alarm; savage war-cries +rent the air, bounding back from one echo to another. Papita's hand +wavered at her paddle. Piang's stroke grew swifter, surer. The outraged +bridegroom had returned from his meditations to find himself brideless. + +"How will they come, Piang?" Papita's voice trembled. + +"Some by water, some by land. Work, Papita." + +And so the deadly tropic night closed about them. The little +nut-shell sped down the river, past snags, skulking crocodiles, +and many unseen dangers. The jungle came far out over the water, +dangling her treacherous plant-life above them, ready to drag them +from the vinta: it crept beneath them, shooting up in massive trees +that obstructed their passage--trees loaded down with parasites, +intertwined, interlaced in hopeless confusion, each trying to crush +and climb over the other in the fight for supremacy. + +Where the creek empties into the Cotabato River, Piang paused; there +were suspicious-looking shadows close to the bank, and he reached +for his precious baskets. + +"Work slowly, Papita," he whispered, and the trembling girl kept +the vinta just moving. From its ominous silence, the jungle crashed +into chaos. + +"Lè lè lè lè iiiiiio!" shrieked the echoes. + +Piang was ready. + +"Lè lè lè lè iiiiiio!" he tauntingly replied. + +Kneeling in the bow of the vinta, he hastily lighted a green resinous +torch and stuck it upright. It gave forth the pungent, heavy perfume +of the jungle pitch. Waiting until his enemies were almost upon him, +Piang raised one basket above his head and opened the trap. A sudden +buzz and whirl filled the air; Piang reached for the second basket and +held it in the smoke of the torch, ready to open. For a few moments, +nothing happened, but the enemy slackened their pace, and the war +cries were silenced. Finally yells of rage and pain broke from them: + +"Badjanji!" they screamed. The little insects, infuriated at the +treatment they had received, fairly pounced upon the defenseless +Dyaks. No jungle pest is so dreaded as the enraged honey-bee. Its +envenomed stings are poisonous, deadly, and often cause more painful +wounds than bolos. The men fought desperately. Tauntingly Piang +laughed, swiftly he and Papita paddled, and the smoke from the torch +enveloped them in its protecting waves. Coming abreast of the war-prau, +Piang loosed the other basket of bees. + +On sped the vinta, and ever nearer came the great estuary that gave +upon the Celebes Sea. The sounds of the sufferers grew fainter, +and finally Papita and Piang were again alone in the great night. + +"They will return and assemble the war fleet, Papita; they will +pursue us into the ocean. If the water is rough, we cannot cross the +bay to Parang-Parang in this vinta. We must hide near the coast and +make our way homeward on foot." + +Morning fairly burst upon them. Twilight in the tropics is a name only, +for the sun rises and disappears abruptly, and it is day or night +in a few moments. The early light showed the ocean in the distance, +and at the same moment sounds behind made Piang listen anxiously. + +"They are coming, Papita; we must hide." + +As Piang headed for the bank, he noticed a thin stream of smoke +trembling above Bongao. He paused and trained his eye on the +blur. Suddenly he dug his paddle into the water. + +"Papita, quick! The _Sabah_ is coming!" + +Again the vinta shot forward, down through the shifting, treacherous +delta, out into the ocean. Louder grew the beating of paddles against +the Dyak war-praus, and Piang could hear the war chant. He knew that +Sicto cared little for ships; he had evaded too many of them. Only +the _Sabah_, Sicto feared, but he would probably take a chance on +this being the Chino mail boat or a Spanish tramp. That the Dyaks +would take the chance and follow, Piang was sure. + +The sea was choppy and fretful. The little bride boat danced and +careened about recklessly. Between the _Sabah_ and Piang lay Bongao, +and straight for Bongao he headed, skilfully keeping the vinta +steady. A white mist rose, as if to hide the vinta from the pursuers, +but when the fleet reached the river's mouth a yell announced that +they had been discovered. The race was for life, for more than life, +and the boy seemed possessed of a supernatural strength. Nearer came +the smoke, and finally around the point of Bongao, burst the little +gunboat. At first the Dyaks did not heed the stranger, so used were +they to hurling contempt at island visitors, but when in answer to +Papita's signal, as she stood up waving her disheveled wedding veil, +there came a shrill whistle, they paused in dismay. + +In a very short time Papita and Piang were raised over the side of the +_Sabah_, and General Beech and Governor Findy were questioning them. + +"You say that Dato Ynoch is pursuing you?" + +"Yes, yes, that is him in the first prau," excitedly replied Piang. + +"Well, Piang, it is Ynoch that brings the _Sabah_ here to-day. We +thank you, my boy, for tempting him into the open." + +When the Moro boy disclosed Ynoch's identity, a grim smile settled +over Governor Findy's face. + +"Man the guns, Captain!" commanded General Beech in his dignified, +quiet way. + +The Dyaks were scattering in the wildest confusion, making their +way back to the river with all speed, but the _Sabah_ relentlessly +pursued. A sudden darkening shadow startled the captain of the _Sabah_, +and he pointed toward the mountains. + +"Something queer hatchin' over there, General." + +A dense mist hid the hills; only old Ganassi Peak stood out, dignified +and stern. Like a dirty piece of canvas, one cloud balanced itself on +Ganassi's shoulder and rapidly spread itself around the peak. It seemed +to sap the very life from Ganassi, as it enveloped it in a chilling +embrace. Slowly the cloud loosed its hold and bounced along on the +lower hills. In its center it seemed to bear a restless, struggling +mass, and the passengers on the _Sabah_ watched it nervously. Strange +things happen very suddenly in the sunny Celebes. Fascinated, they +watched the odd cloud lumbering toward them, dipping and lifting its +burden. It sailed over the mountains, flitted past the jungle and +reached the ocean, where it hovered and waved as if undecided which +way to go. At times, like canvas, it would belly down in the middle, +almost burst, right itself, and come sailing on. Again and again the +heavy contents pulled the cloud to earth, but valiantly struggling +with its burden, it resisted. The cloud brought with it a death-like +mist, damp and choking, and the sunshine was abruptly put out. The +thing hesitated over the _Sabah_, dipping and sucking itself back, +as if made of elastic; it wandered about aimlessly and paused over +the fleeing Dyaks. Finally as if discouraged and strained beyond its +endurance, it gave up. + +With shrieks and cries the Dyaks watched it. Tons and tons of water +burst from the cloud, striking the sea with a hiss that sent the +spray high in the air. + +"Waterspout!" yelled the captain and ordered the _Sabah's_ engines +stopped. In horror they beheld the crazy column careen about, obeying +its master, the capricious wind, and following any stray current; +around and around the spiral, grinding mass of water veered and circled +aimlessly. It danced and capered about the ocean like some malignant +monster loosed from torment, and finally, as if by direct intent, +started for the river's mouth. The Dyaks saw it coming, and in their +puny efforts to escape, looked like ants before an elephant. The five +streams, flowing through the delta of the Cotabato River, seemed to +draw the vicious waterspout toward them, and on it went, directly +in the wake of the doomed Dyaks. Tensely the _Sabah's_ passengers +followed the course of the spout. The whirling Nemesis descended upon +the pirates; their cries of anguish came faintly through the roar and +hiss of water; crude Dyak prayers, shrieked by terrified worshipers, +smote upon their ears, and finally, like a whirlwind, the waterspout +pounced upon its victims. It caught at them with a thousand arms; +it tossed them up, bore them down, tore them from the light eggshell +praus, crushing them to bits. + +Through the entire fleet stalked the monster, dealing out death and +destruction to all, and, when there remained naught to vent its wrath +upon, like an insatiate giant, it turned toward the jungle. Straight +up the river it marched, rooting up trees, tearing down banks, and +gradually vanished in the distance, leaving wreckage and disaster in +its path. + +Silenced by the terrible spectacle, the Americans seemed to huddle +closer together for protection, or comfort. But two figures stood +out alone on the _Sabah's_ deck. + +Papita's eyes were fastened on Piang, on the charm that dangled from +his necklace of crocodile teeth; Piang was lost in Ganassi Peak. His +eyes were filled with a divine awe as he silently faced his beloved +peak, where dwelt his wonder man, the Hermit Ganassi. Every element +of his being, his very attitude, proclaimed that his spirit was +pouring out a thanksgiving to his patron, whose prayers to Allah, +the Merciful, had sent the waterspout to destroy his enemies. The +Christians, boasting a greater God, were put to shame by this artless +exhibition of a faith that they could never feel, and their eyes were +filled with admiration as they looked upon this Moro boy, transfigured +in his faith, as he muttered softly: + +"There is no God but Allah!" + + + +THE END + + + + + +NOTES + +[1] _Bichara_ means meeting and corresponds to the East Indian word, +_durbar_. + + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of The Adventures of Piang the Moro +Jungle Boy, by Florence Partello Stuart + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK ADVENTURES OF PIANG *** + +***** This file should be named 22407-8.txt or 22407-8.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + http://www.gutenberg.org/2/2/4/0/22407/ + +Produced by Jeroen Hellingman and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net/ from scans made +available by Google Books. + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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